The remains of a woman who had been missing for five years were recently found by law enforcement officials.
Mary Johnson-Davis was last seen on November 25, 2020, while she was walking to a friend’s house on a road in Western Washington.
An Indigenous woman and a member of Washington’s Tulalip Tribes, Mary was reported missing on December 9 of that year.
In a tragic turn of events, authorities have confirmed that Mary has passed away. Her remains were discovered in a remote part of North Snohomish County on October 31, with DNA testing confirming the identity as that of Mary.
Shawn V. Ledford, the Chief of the Tulalip Police Department, released a statement: “With deep respect for the family and Tulalip community, the Tulalip Police Department is heartbroken to confirm that human remains have been positively identified as Mary Johnson-Davis, a member of the Tulalip Tribes of Washington.”
He further stated: “Identification was confirmed through DNA analysis conducted by a forensic laboratory, and next of kin have been notified. This case remains an active and ongoing investigation, and the Tulalip Police Department will continue to work in partnership with the family and the FBI.
“Mary’s family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to the community for their assistance and compassion throughout the past five years of searching for Mary, which ultimately led to her being found. We extend our prayers, strength, and healing to Mary’s family, loved ones, and the entire Tulalip community during this difficult time.”
The cause of Mary’s death remains undetermined, and a reward of up to $60,000 is being offered by the Tulalip Tribes and the FBI for information that leads to the identification, arrest, and conviction of those responsible for her disappearance.
This discovery follows the release of a documentary about her disappearance, titled Missing from Fire Trail Road, which came out a year ago.
View the trailer here:
The documentary uncovered that Mary and her sister, Nona Blouin, were awarded $400,000 each after suing child protective services and the state of Washington.
Both Mary and Nona claimed they were sexually abused by their foster family following their removal from their family home as children.
However, Nona alleged that Mary’s husband misappropriated her money. PEOPLE reported Nona’s claim: “He put it into an account … [and] didn’t leave her nothing. And then he moved to California,” Nona stated.
Mary’s husband had previously been identified as a person of interest in her disappearance, though there was insufficient evidence to arrest him.
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