COLFAX, WA – Human remains found last month near Colfax have been identified as Michael Shawn Garcia, a local man who had been missing since July 2016.
According to authorities, officers from the Colfax Police Department and the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office responded at approximately 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 22, 2025, to South Palouse River Road, about two-thirds of a mile outside Colfax. A citizen walking their dog reported finding what appeared to be human remains.
Investigators located skeletal remains at the scene, which were turned over to the Whitman County Coroner’s Office for examination. Following further analysis, the remains were identified as Garcia, born July 20, 1968.
Officials said that due to the advanced decomposition of the remains and the amount of time that has passed, the cause and manner of death could not be determined. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Investigator Carlos Trevino at 509-724-9387 or Colfax Police Chief Mike Melcher at 509-397-4615.
