Sheriff's office locates body of missing Snohomish man

The body of Paul Yoshihara was found in a grass field northwest of Snohomish on Saturday morning.

The 75-year-old disappeared from his home a week earlier. He is one of several older men who have been reported missing in the area since December. Each happened under different circumstances.

Yoshihara was last seen at his home where he lived with his wife. She had awoken Sunday morning to find her husband was gone. Yoshihara had Alzheimer's, according to a Snohomish County Sheriff's Office news release.

He was in good health and he could walk for long distances, according to the agency. He was believed to be a danger to himself, and a Silver Alert was requested by authorities. It was reported that the public should note that at times he believed himself to be another person, including a well-known figure, due to his condition.

Yoshihara and his wife had been talking about their previous address the night before she reported his disappearance. The house had been in Everett, but had burned down in a fire. It was initially believed Yoshihara may have tried to return to that home.

Sheriff's office search and rescue crewmembers located his body from a helicopter this weekend. He was found along the Lowell-Snohomish River Road, which extends northwest of Snohomish. The route eventually meets up with I-5 south of Everett.

Responders noticed no signs of trauma or foul play, according to the sheriff's office. His immediate family has been notified.

Another 63-year-old Snohomish man went missing on the morning of Dec. 11. He was last seen by his wife at their home in the 400 block of Union Avenue. All active searches have been called off until new leads become clear. 

Henry Groeneveld abruptly told family that morning he was going to the river, according to the sheriff's office. Stress from work and an argument with his wife, who has a disability, may have contributed to his decision to leave.

Snohomish Police led a search the week Groeneveld went missing that encompassed the Snohomish and Pilchuck Rivers, the Avenue D Bridge, railroad trestles and First Street, according to the agency. The county’s major crimes unit took over efforts once no leads were left to pursue.

His daughter Liz Dickson and her siblings led community searches. The last large-scale event was held in late December, although they have continued to look for him since.

Groeneveld is 5-foot-7 and weighs 150 pounds. He has gray hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing a red knit cap, brown pullover shirt and blue U.S. Postal Service pants.

The sheriff’s office asks that the public call 911 with any information on Groeneveld’s whereabouts. Anyone who wants to contact Dickson to volunteer can call her at 425-346-0109 or visit a Facebook group dedicated to finding her father.

One man was found shortly after he went missing last week. Monroe Police alerted the community on Wednesday that an 87-year-old could not be found. He had disappeared from Fred Meyers. He was eventually located and made it home safely.