Kids fishing in Scooteney Reservoir discover body

OTHELLO – The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office reports kids fishing at Scooteney Reservoir Sunday evening discovered a body floating in the willows. The reservoir is situated about nine miles southeast of Othello, west of State Route 17 and sits on the northern border of Franklin County.

Deputies responded at about 7 p.m. Sunday after reports came into the 911 dispatch center and discovered human remains which were in an advanced state of decomposition, laying in the cattails on the west side of the reservoir. The scene was secured for the night. Detectives, members of the state crime lab and the Franklin County Coroner’s Office are expected to return to the scene today (Monday).

“These remains are badly decomposed so it’s going to require delicate crime scene processing to occur,” Franklin County Sheriff Jim Raymond said. “We do not know if remains are male or female right now. The remains are human though.”

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office does not have any reports of any missing persons from that area. Deputies have also not responded to that area for any reported suspicious activities in months. Detectives are reaching out to area law enforcement partners to review missing person reports.

This is an ongoing investigation and anyone with information regarding this case can call the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office at 509-545-3401.

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