GOLD BAR — Mark Stewart watched his parents crumble under the weight of their grief.

His dad slid into a dark depression. His mom was never the same.

The brutal death of their daughter, Kathleen Stewart, fractured their lives.

“Her death destroyed the family,” said Mark Stewart, the slain woman’s brother.

Two men on a fishing trip discovered his sister’s remains in 1995 on a wooded hilly slope off Reiter Road outside Gold Bar.

Stewart, 32, of Seattle, had been struck in the head. The blow killed her.

The homicide remains unsolved.

Stewart is part of the state’s first cold-case playing cards. She is featured on the two of diamonds.

Snohomish County sheriff’s detectives have handed out thousands of decks of the cards to jail and prison inmates in hopes of soliciting new tips for dozens of unsolved homicides and missing persons cases.

Mark Stewart still feels the sparks of anger when he thinks about his sister’s killer free somewhere, he said.

His family’s devastation was made worse by the years that passed without justice for his sister.

Their father died a few years ago. Their mom suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.

“We were never super close but it made things a lot worse,” Mark Stewart said.

He figures his sister likely met the wrong person while she was drinking.

She was last seen at the lounge at the New World Chinese Restaurant in Ballard. Stewart may have left with two men, including a man who was described as resembling the late folk singer John Denver.

Detectives released a sketch of the man shortly after the slaying. They hoped the man would step forward to help investigators learn more about when Stewart disappeared, sheriff’s detectives Jim Scharf said.

Police have never found the man. They’d still like to talk to him.

“She was an intelligent and decent girl,” Mark Stewart said. “She had a problem with alcohol and made poor decisions. I think an evil person came to town.”

Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.

About this series

Snohomish County sheriff’s detectives created the state’s first deck of cold-case playing cards. Each Sunday for a year, The Herald is publishing a story about a case featured on one of the cards. The 52 cards can be viewed at www.heraldnet.com.

Anyone with information about unsolved homicides or missing persons cases is asked to call 800-222-TIPS (8477). Up to a $1,000 reward is offered.

Tips also can be left on the sheriff’s tip line at 425-388-3845. Callers may remain anonymous, although tips have been more successful when callers speak with detectives, police said.