Oso clean-up concern: What about the last victim?

OSO — As Snohomish County spends millions of dollars for crews to remove giant piles of debris left by the Oso mudslide, some are questioning whether enough is being done to find the lone victim still missing in the disaster.

The problem for the county: How much more is even possible?

Oso Fire Chief Willy Harper sent a letter to county officials Thursday, detailing concerns he’s hearing from his neighbors. Some are wondering if more resources should be directed at finding Kris Regelbrugge. Of the 43 people known to have died in the March 22 slide, she is the only person whose body has not been found.

Since the slide, the need to search the debris for human remains, and the urge to move into recovery mode, have at times been in conflict.

Crews hired by the county are now breaking down and sifting through some 200,000 cubic yards of dirt and debris piled up earlier by searchers.

People close to the slide are concerned they are “not doing anything to dig for Kris, just the basic minimum that is required by FEMA,” Harper said Thursday.

The county Public Works Department is in charge of debris removal. Search and recovery operations are the responsibility of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.

The $6.4 million job underway now is focused on removing the debris placed on private land by search and recovery teams, said Gary Haakenson. He’s the county manager assigned by Executive John Lovick to oversee mudslide recovery efforts.

“Our goal has been all along to be as respectful and methodical as we can as we are sifting through the debris,” Haakenson said.

For more than a month after the slide, up to 1,000 searchers crawled over the site, looking for victims. The active search was suspended in late April, but spotters have stood watch, first as crews excavated Highway 530 and now as the debris piles are broken down.

Sheriff Ty Trenary said his department has quietly deployed people back to the slide area on more than a half dozen occasions in recent months. In each instance, their mission was to follow up on what were considered promising clues about Regelbrugge’s location, Trenary said. Searchers earlier located a number of victims using scientific projections of the debris flow and trajectory lines. Locals also helped pinpoint successful searches for their neighbors, a conversation that often was more direct than diplomatic.

So far, searches for Kris Regelbrugge, 44, have been unsuccessful, though materials recovered during one of the visits have been sent for genetic testing, Trenary said.

Her husband, John, also was killed. His body was recovered.

“We still want to find Kris and we want to do everything we can,” Trenary said. He wasn’t sure Thursday what options remain.

Crews with heavy equipment are expected to be working 10-hour days in the slide area through September.

They began in the southwest corner of the debris field where there is reason to believe Regelbrugge may be. Workers began moving elsewhere on the site late this week.

The work has been conducted using protocols to maximize the likelihood of recovering any human remains, Haakenson said. So far, only animal bones have been found, but in each instance work has stopped until that could be confirmed, he said.

Harper said the plan for this round of debris sifting and searching initially sounded good but he and others are disappointed that crews haven’t been excavating after removing the debris piles. The area where the crews have been working was buried in mud about 25 feet deep.

The fire chief said he’s talked to several county leaders. Some in the community have floated the idea of a change-order to the contract to have crews dig deeper.

So far, that idea has gone nowhere, Harper said.

With the amount of money already being spent, it shouldn’t be that much more of an investment for another week or two of work, focused on digging deeper, Harper said.

If money is the hold-up, county officials should acknowledge that, so the community can help find the solutions, Harper said.

“They’re doing the right thing, they’re just not going deep enough, and there needs to be a reason, and I don’t think any reason they come up with is going to be good enough,” he said.

Scott North: 425-339-3431; north@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Trader Joe’s customers walk in and out of the store on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New Trader Joe’s opens this week at Everett Mall

It’s a short move from a longtime location, essentially across the street, where parking was often an adventure.

Ian Bramel-Allen enters a guilty plea to second-degree murder during a plea and sentencing hearing on Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘Deep remorse’: Man gets 17 years for friend’s fatal stabbing in Edmonds

Ian Bramel-Allen, 44, pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder for killing Bret Northcutt last year at a WinCo.

Firefighters respond to a small RV and a motorhome fire on Tuesday afternoon in Marysville. (Provided by Snohomish County Fire Distrct 22)
1 injured after RV fire, explosion near Marysville

The cause of the fire in the 11600 block of 81st Avenue NE had not been determined, fire officials said.

Ashton Dedmon appears in court during his sentencing hearing on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett Navy sailor sentenced to 90 days for fatal hit and run

Ashton Dedmon crashed into Joshua Kollman and drove away. Dedmon, a petty officer on the USS Kidd, reported he had a panic attack.

A kindergarten student works on a computer at Emerson Elementary School on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
‘¡Una erupción!’: Dual language programs expanding to 10 local schools

A new bill aims to support 10 new programs each year statewide. In Snohomish County, most follow a 90-10 model of Spanish and English.

Logo for news use featuring the Tulalip Indian Reservation in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Woman drives off cliff, dies on Tulalip Reservation

The woman fell 70 to 80 feet after driving off Priest Point Drive NW on Sunday afternoon.

Everett
Boy, 4, survives fall from Everett fourth-story apartment window

The child was being treated at Seattle Children’s. The city has a limited supply of window stops for low-income residents.

People head out to the water at low tide during an unseasonably warm day on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Lighthouse Park in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Everett shatters record high temperature by 11 degrees

On Saturday, it hit 73 degrees, breaking the previous record of 62 set in 2007.

Snohomish County Fire District #4 and Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue respond to a motor vehicle collision for a car and pole. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, near Triangle Bait & Tackle in Snohomish. (Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office)
Police: Troopers tried to stop driver before deadly crash in Snohomish

The man, 31, was driving at “a high rate of speed” when he crashed into a traffic light pole and died, investigators said.

Alan Dean, who is accused of the 1993 strangulation murder of 15-year-old Bothell girl Melissa Lee, appears in court during opening statements of his trial on Monday, March 18, 2024, at Snohomish County Superior Court in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
31 years later, trial opens in Bothell teen’s brutal killing

In April 1993, Melissa Lee’s body was found below Edgewater Creek Bridge. It would take 27 years to arrest Alan Dean in her death.

Logo for news use featuring the municipality of Snohomish in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Man dies after crashing into pole in Snohomish

Just before 1 a.m., the driver crashed into a traffic light pole at the intersection of 2nd Street and Maple Avenue.

Bodies of two men recovered after falling into Eagle Falls near Index

Two men fell into the falls and did not resurface Saturday, authorities said. After a recovery effort, two bodies were found.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.