Human remains found in South Thurston County Oct. 28 belong to a 20-year-old man who was last seen on Feb. 28, 2019, according to a news release from the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.
Matthew Anfeldt was last seen in the 19200 block of Old Highway 99 between Grand Mound and Tenino.
According to the sheriff’s office, a hunter found the remains in the “greater Rochester/Grand Mound area” and alerted deputies. A specific location was not provided.
On Oct. 29, detectives and search and rescue personnel conducted a search of the area using K9s from Lewis and King counties along with volunteers to look for additional remains.
On Thursday, the remains were identified as Anfeldt.
“We have been in contact with Matthew’s family and our thoughts are with those grieving his loss,” the sheriff’s office stated in the release. “No further information will be released at this time as the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at detectives@co.thurston.wa.us.
Anfeldt was seen Feb. 28, 2019, possibly hallucinating in the 17800 block of Old Highway 99, reported a neighbor, who said he was seen running into the roadway, causing vehicles to swerve to miss him. He left the area on foot.
Anfeldt was making claims that his family had been killed and that someone was after him, according to previous Chronicle reporting. Deputies responded to the area at 5:27 p.m. after receiving the call. They confirmed later that the claims about his family were unfounded.
Another call came in minutes later from the Speedway Grocery store in the 19200 block of Old Highway 99. Someone at the store told authorities Anfeldt had dried blood around his mouth, and was again saying his family had been killed and that someone was after him.
He left that area on foot, and that was the last verified time he was seen.
