The King County Medical Examiner’s Office is asking for the public’s help to identify a man found deceased near Medina, under the SR 520 bridge. The Medical Examiner’s Office is releasing a forensic sketch and information related to the case with the goal of bringing answers to this man’s identity.
“For every individual who arrives at our office without a name, we believe there is family and friends experiencing the ambiguous loss of not knowing what happened to their loved one. By giving them back their names, we hope to help return them to the people who cared for them during their lives and perhaps bring some resolution to their families, friends, and loved ones,” said Dr. Benjamin J. Figura, State Forensic Anthropologist with the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.
In 2023 and 2024, the Medical Examiner’s Office asked for the public’s help to identify three unidentified decedents. “Thanks to the public response to those requests, our office was able to identify two of the three decedents – a young woman found in Seattle’s University District and a man found in Redmond,” said Dr. Figura. “We’re hoping the public can provide similar help in this case.”
A man found deceased near Medina in February
On February 14, 2026, a man was found dead on a bridge support structure in Lake Washington, under the SR 520 bridge near Medina.
The Medical Examiner’s Office believes the man was between 18 to 30 years old at the time of death. He was 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed about 161 pounds. He had light eyes and long, light brown hair, which was loosely dreaded in the back. He had a small tattoo of a cross on his left hand, near the thumb, and a small heart tattoo just below his left hip. He was found wearing a camouflage “US Army” jacket over a black leather jacket, green pants, and brown work boots. “Ridenhour” was written on the inside jacket collar label and a “Ridenhour” patch embroidered to the right chest of the camouflage jacket. He was carrying a Bible.
Do you recognize him?
If you believe you have any information that may help, please contact the Medical Examiner’s Office at 206-731-3232, ext. 5. You can reference case #26-0422. Any information you have could be helpful to investigators.
There are 60 unidentified people in King County
There are currently 60 people the Medical Examiner’s Office is working to identify. They work with law enforcement agencies in trying to solve these cases.
Sketches of additional unidentified people in King County are posted on the Medical Examiner’s Office unidentified remains web page.
If you have a loved one who is missing
If a relative or loved one is missing, promptly notify authorities.
Providing information related to the missing person, like medical and dental records, DNA samples, even familial DNA – like a cheek swab – can be helpful to an investigation. After you have reported a missing person, continue to follow up to make sure the case is entered into state and national databases.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office has unidentified cases dating back to 1969 and would like to remind anyone who knows of a person missing to please make a report with law enforcement. If a report was made during the 60’s, 70’s or 80’s, please confirm with law enforcement that the report still exists, and that it has been entered into missing persons databases.
More recent technologies, such as genealogy databases and testing, offer new opportunities to determine the identities of currently unidentified people. The Medical Examiner’s Office, working with statewide partners, is looking closely at how these tools can help in solving cases.
More information
Visit the King County Medical Examiner’s Office unidentified remains webpage to download a high resolution images of the forensic sketch.
Originally posted April 15, 2026.