New Twist In Green River Search

Summary

Detectives scoured another site in King County for more remains of a woman found dead in March of 1986.

Story Published: Oct 5, 2003 at 3:34 PM PST

Story Updated: Jul 29, 2009 at 11:33 AM PST

New Twist In Green River Search
KENT - The Green River Task Force was back out Sunday looking for more victim remains.

This time investigators knew exactly where they wanted to look.

They cut down waist-high berry bushes, grass and weeds at the Cottonwood Grove Park.

The terrain was not steep, it was fairly flat and only a few feet from the Green River.

But this search for human remains was different.

Investigators were not trying to find one of the missing women. Instead, they were trying to find more of Tracy Winston's remains. She disappeared at age 19.

"Tracy Winston's remains were found in 1986 at the base of the tree right over there and it was a very very small part of her skeletal remain that were recovered," said Kathleen Larson with the Green River Task Force.

The search in the 1980's went to the north and the west of Cottonwood Grove Park, but not to the South. That's why investigators searched again.

"What we wanted to do was ensure for her family and come back out and really do a thorough search all the way around where her remains were recovered," explained Larson.

"As Mrs. Winston has told us, if she could have back the remainder of her daughter - or something more significant than what she has - then that would help her out," said Larson.

The Green River Task Force did not find any of Tracy Winston's bones Sunday.

Larson said the task force will take the next couple of weeks searching four more sites in King County looking for other victims.

They know exactly where they are going, and will search rain or shine.