Family thinks relative is dead

EVERETT — The family of a Machias woman who was reported missing last week said yesterday they believe she is dead.

Tom Stephenson, brother-in-law of Kelly Sarsten, said that even though the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office has not identified the body of a woman found Aug. 20 in the Pilchuck River, his family is "accepting the volume of circumstantial evidence that this is, in fact, Kelly."

Sarsten's co-workers at a local trucking business called police Aug. 19 to report her missing. The 37-year-old woman's boyfriend also contacted authorities around the same time to report her missing, said Snohomish County sheriff's spokeswoman Jan Jorgensen.

After meeting with Sarsten's boyfriend Aug. 19, investigators returned to Machias the following day, Jorgensen said.

Shortly after arriving at Sarsten's house, Jorgensen said, investigators found the body of a woman nearby in a stretch of river in the 200 block of North Machias Road.

Officials with the Medical Examiner's Office say it may be several weeks before they will release the identity of the body.

Jorgensen said investigators think the woman found in the river was murdered.

Yesterday, Stephenson said Sarsten was devoted to her pets and her work. He said the family wishes to "grieve in private and support the success of this investigation with the goal of bringing Kelly's killer to justice."

Jennifer Sullivan: 425-783-0604 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com