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MoreQuiet 3d · day 3

Bone washed ashore solves 27-year mystery of drowned fisherman Jonathan Raxa

DNA from a sacrum found on California beach in March 2026 identified the boat captain who went missing in 1999.

newest coverage 2d agosummary written 1d ago4 pieces NewswiresMastodon

What to know

  • Jonathan Raxa vanished in 1999 when his fishing boat capsized in Humboldt Bay; three other crew members survived.
  • A bone found on Centerville Beach in March 2026 was identified as Raxa's remains through DNA matching with his son's sample from 1999.
  • The case demonstrates how preserved DNA samples from family members can resolve missing person cases decades later.

Jonathan Raxa boat owner and fishermanAl Burns skipper of the Silver SprayHumboldt County Sheriff's Office investigating authority

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 3 pieces in one hour at Sep 21, 5 AM; 4 pieces over 3 days (3 articles · 1 post) Sep 21, 5 AM — 3 pieces · 2 articles · 1 post — Newswires 2, Mastodon 1Sep 21, 6 AM — quietSep 21, 7 AM — quietSep 21, 8 AM — quietSep 21, 9 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — quietSep 21, 11 AM — quietSep 21, 12 PM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 3 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 11 PM — quietSep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 3 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 9 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 11 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 3 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — quietSep 22, 7 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 9 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 1 AM — quiet 1
Sep 22yesterdaynow · 2:02 AM ET
  1. 1

    Humboldt County Sheriff's Office confirms case closure, emphasizes DNA preservation

    The Sheriff's Office announced that Raxa's family had been notified of the identification. Officials stated the case demonstrated the importance of preserving DNA samples from family members in missing person cases for potential future resolution.

    “exemplified the importance of preserving DNA samples from family members in missing person cases…”
    — Humboldt County Sheriff's Office
  2. background

    Human bone surfaces on Centerville Beach, identified as Raxa's remains — Deputies with the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office identified a washed-up bone as a human sacrum and submitted it to a state Department of Justice DNA database. The sample matched DNA from Raxa's son collected three decades prior.

  3. background

    Fishing boat Silver Spray capsizes on Humboldt Bay, Raxa goes missing — In pre-sunrise hours, an 18-foot wave struck the 35-foot vessel, tearing off the pilothouse and launching four crew members into the water. Three survived by grabbing debris and rafts; Jonathan Raxa, who owned the boat, was not found.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 3 outlets Father of 3 disappeared amid violent waves. How a single bone unraveled the case

    first by LA Times, 2d ago · also Mercury News, LA Times California

    1 more headline