VEHICLE OF MISSING PERSON, RALPH BROWN, LOCATED IN THE WILLAMETTE RIVER

Washington Co. Sheriff's Office

On the afternoon of Friday, May 13, 2022, Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies learned the vehicle belonging to 77-year-old Ralph Brown, who was reported missing on May 16, 2021, was located in the Willamette River, near Roger’s Landing Boat Ramp. The vehicle was fully submerged and approximately 40 feet deep when a private company, Adventures With Purpose, located it.

Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office patrol deputies, detectives from their Special Investigation Unit (SIU), and Marine Patrol responded to the boat ramp after Adventures With Purpose notified them that they believed they had located the vehicle. Yamhill County deputies said Adventures With Purpose provided a license plate they pulled off the submerged car. A Yamhill County deputy confirmed the license plate belonged to Ralph Brown’s vehicle he was believed to have been driving when he went missing.

Yamhill County deputies and Adventure With Purpose worked through the evening to remove the vehicle from the Willamette River. Once removed, investigators found human remains in the vehicle. The Yamhill County Medical Examiner was there to investigate but could not immediately identify the remain.

Detectives from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Violent Crimes Unit at the boat ramp to assist with the investigation. 

The investigation is ongoing, and as additional information becomes available, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office will make them available.

Members of the Violent Crimes Unit are called upon to investigate serious violent crimes such as homicides, suspicious deaths, adult sexual assaults, kidnappings, robberies, extortion, serious assaults, elder abuse, and missing persons.