GRANITE FALLS – More than a year after his disappearance, the last moments of Brandon Kempf’s life remain a mystery.
The fate of the investigation into his death also is uncertain.
Authorities have long suspected that Kempf, 18, was the victim of foul play. Months before his skeletal remains were discovered, a murder charge was filed against a Lake Stevens man who bragged about killing Kempf and throwing his body off a cliff.
Aaron J. Hillman was charged with second-degree murder. That charge was later dropped for lack of evidence. Six months after he was arrested, he was released from jail.
Detectives and prosecutors had hoped forensic tests would shed more light on how Kempf died and help them proceed with their investigation.
Recently, however, the Snohomish County medical examiner announced that he has been unable to determine how Kempf died or whether it was an accident, suicide or homicide.
That leaves the future of the investigation unclear.
Snohomish County sheriff’s detectives are still working on the case, sheriff’s spokeswoman Rebecca Hover said.
“We have investigated all the leads we have up to this point,” Hover said. “If something comes up, we’ll certainly investigate it.”
At this time, Hillman is not a suspect, Hover said.
No criminal charges are imminent, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor John Stansell said. There just isn’t enough clarity from the medical examiner, he said.
“Certainly we’re not rushing to file based on the latest report,” Stansell said. “There just wasn’t enough (of the remains) left to draw any conclusions.”
Last year, Stansell filed murder charges against Hillman, 20.
Hillman allegedly had told people he killed Kempf because he believed Kempf was a snitch. Hillman was arrested last year in northern California.
He later told detectives he made up the story to make people think he was a “tough guy,” according to court records.
In September, public defender Neal Friedman convinced Stansell to drop a second-degree murder charge for lack of evidence.
At the request of prosecutors, a judge dismissed the charge in a way that would allow the case to be brought back at any time if more evidence surfaces.
Kempf, a Stillaguamish tribal member, was last seen Aug. 11, 2005 near the Blue Bridge on the Mountain Loop Highway, less than a mile from the road leading up to the Mount Pilchuck Lookout.
Medics were called to check on Kempf after witnesses at a small grocery store reported that he was acting bizarrely, according to court papers.
About 10 days later his sweatshirt and shoes were found on the bridge, not far away.
Two hikers stumbled across Kempf’s bones Oct. 17 in a steep ravine on the mountain’s north side. Investigators were able to retrieve the remains a couple days later using a sheriff’s helicopter.
Earlier this month, family and friends gathered to remember Kempf at a funeral service at the Tulalip Tribal Center.
Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.
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