Credit: Find Anthony Croy Facebook page
Remains of a young man found in 1995 have now been identified. On April 26, 2021, tree planters contracted by Weyerhaeuser located a human skull on the road near Lake Merrill in Cougar, Wash. Detectives from the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office recovered the skull. A visual analysis showed what appeared to be two entrance and two exit bullet holes. The skull was turned over to the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office for analysis and identification. On May 15, 2021, the Sheriff’s Office organized a search of the area with Cowlitz County Search and Rescue. With the aid of cadaver dogs, a femur was located.
The King County Medical Examiners Office analyzed the skull and confirmed the bullet holes. The skull and femur were sent to Bode Technology for DNA analysis. Bode was able to determine that the skull and femur belonged to the same individual. They ran the DNA profile through the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and did not find a match.
The remains were then sent to Othram. Othram compared the DNA sample of the remains to available DNA samples to identify possible relatives of the unidentified subject to help in the identification process.
Othram located a potential family member of the subject and through research found that they had a missing relative. Detective Jason Hammer of the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office contacted this family member and gained access to their DNA sample that they had done through a private genealogy company. This sample was sent to Othram, who confirmed the sibling relationship with the remains.
The skeletal remains have been positively identified as belonging to Anthony Matthew Croy, born 12/04/1973. Croy went missing from the Portland area around September 1995.
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and death is ongoing. The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office requests anyone with information about this case to contact Detective Jason Hammer at 360-577-3092.