Season 1 - Episode 4: Grays Harbor County John Doe Cases from 1997 & 2001

Case 1: Grays Harbor County John Doe (1997)

In April 1997, the partial remains of an unidentified white male were found washed ashore near Grayland, Washington. Estimated to be between his late teens and early 20s, about 5'11", and 170 pounds, the man had extensive dental work, including four stainless steel crowns and a missing or gapped front tooth. Due to advanced decomposition, the cause of death and other physical features like hair and eye color remain unknown. The case remains open with few leads, and authorities encourage tips via the Grays Harbor County Sheriff's Department, NamUs, or the Doe Project. If you have any information or tips to provide in helping to identify the John Doe from Grayland found in 1997 please contact the Grays Harbor County Sheriff's Department at 360-249-3711.

Sources:

UnIdentified Awarness: https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/Grays_Harbor_County_John_Doe_(1997)

UnCovered Cases: https://uncovered.com/cases/1997-grays-harbor-county-john-doe

Case 2: Lyle Stevik (2001)

In September 2001, a man using the alias "Lyle Stevik" checked into the Quinault Inn in Amanda Park, Washington, and died by suicide two days later. He left behind a simple note and $160 in cash for his unused stay. His true identity remained unknown for years. Described as possibly of mixed ancestry (Native American, Hispanic, and African-American), aged 20–30, he had no luggage and had lost significant weight recently. DNA, dental, and fingerprint data were collected but yielded no matches. In 2018, with help from the DNA Doe Project, his identity was confirmed through genetic genealogy. He was a 25-year-old man from Alameda County, California. His family, who had thought he had chosen to leave, was notified, and his remains were returned to them. His real name was never publicly released to protect their privacy.

Sources:

KXRO: https://www.kxro.com/lyle-stevik-identified-closing-16-1-2-year-old-unsolved-case/

DNA Doe Project: https://dnadoeproject.org/case/lyle_stevik/

Santa Fe New Mexican News: https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/dead-man-found-in-washington-state-who-had-ties-to-n-m-id-d-through/article_00accfb7-b964-5a57-a9ae-ed6841bb2917.html

Grays Harbor County Case File: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14YajWIFMjtVviqLVcUJ4QWQ-JmKpW6dEgz6zbhi9MZw/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.2bwlkka8zvvy

Medium Magazine: https://medium.com/mel-magazine/the-strange-case-of-the-man-with-no-name-13691028e07e

The Daily World: https://www.thedailyworld.com/news/man-found-dead-in-amanda-park-motel-in-2001-positively-identified-as-california-man/