By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Authorities have confirmed the body found off a logging road some 10 miles from 16-year-old Austin King’s Morton area home is that of the teenager.
Austin King
The remains were identified through DNA analysis by the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab.
The cause of death has still not been determined, according to a news release from the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
Detectives are still working several leads in the case, the sheriff’s office said. The death is being investigated as suspicious.
The teenager was last seen by his mother Christy Harper at about 12:15 a.m. on June 23 when he said goodnight to her and went off to his detached bedroom outside of their mobile home with two buddies to watch television.
Austin was initially classified by the sheriff’s office as a runaway, and two or three weeks later re-labeled endangered-missing. Searchers organized by a Morton woman following up on information from a Portland-area spiritual psychic discovered the remains the afternoon of July 20.
The teenager did not have a car and detectives are investigating how he may have gotten to the place his body was found, Sheriff’s Cmdr. Steve Aust said.
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To read previous coverage of Austin King’s case, see below:
• “Park filled with mourners for missing Morton teenager Austin King” from Saturday July 24, 2010
• “News brief: Specialist to help examine body found near Morton” from Thursday July 22, 2010
• “Vigil for Morton teen still on; body found yesterday not identified” from Wednesday July 21, 2010
• “News brief: Body of male found near logging road outside of Morton” from Tuesday July 20, 2010
• “News brief: Sheriff’ office seeks tips to find missing teen” from Thursday July 1, 2010
• “Morton teenager remains missing” from Thursday July 1, 2010
• Also, Roy Stemman, a writer in the United Kingdom, published a story, “Psychic guides searchers to teens body” in his Paranormal Review on July 27, 2010 after interviewing psychic Sonya Grace and Morton resident and search organizer Jennifer Mau, founder of the local chapter of Guardians of the Children.