UPDATED: See Burien.News Article on February 21:
Medical Examiner Releases Identity of Missing Burien Man, William Robert Webb
by Martin Barrett.
A badly decomposed body was found in a tent late this afternoon, up the hill from 160th and Fourth Avenue, in close proximity to a Burien dog park.
Burien Police told Burien.News they believe the remains may have been there as long as a year-and-a-half, based on body decomposition.
As of 4:25pm, February 19, 2025, the King County Coroner and Medical Examiner were on site to remove the body found amidst heavy brush.
Burien.News will report as we learn more.
15 Responses
This unfortunate and totally avoidable event is why you can’t leave people to live hidden in camps and exactly why Burien has a camping ban.
NOT exactly…..while sad, there’s many reasons
And what might they be? Because if any of them are related to addiction, mental illness or anti social behavior there is absolutely no reason to live and die in a tent. There are avenues available to seek help and it’s not compassionate to just adopt the Homeless Industrial Complex methods and let you live outside like it’s your right to camp anywhere.
This is so terribly wrong and sad. Why did this person I’m assuming not been seen for a few days turned into months no one was concerned about them? With all the outspoken “activists” who say they know every one of the homeless not ask or wonder the whereabouts of him/her and go looking and check on them?
Because no one really cares about the homeless except maybe some family but not always. you will here its there choice or we looked and never could find them it’s usually just talk it’s not easy being out here you don’t have anything except for what you can carry on you if you have a shopping cart it’s even harder because now you have gained too much stuff most homeless will only have a backpack total of 2 pairs of jeans that’s including the pair you have on then multiple socks tshirts underwear tobacco papers and you never sleep without your backpack under you or it might be gone when you wake up no ID you lost that a long time ago or it’s expired and you can’t renew it because you have no money and no address you have zero money to do anything so you’re stuck eating every meal at a mission or a church and taking a shower at the mission and if you want a shower plan on being their a good portion of the day because theirs 50 other people waiting in the line for 2 showers and if you get lucky and someone is kind enough to give you some work you now can’t take showers because you now got yourself a cash job and don’t want to miss work but they tell you the jobs over because you’re starting to smell and you are always wearing the same 2 pair of jeans that are getting filthy and they don’t understand that you smell and your dirty because you’re coming to work every day it’s not easy and it’s extremely lonely no one talks to you and you’re alone almost always and you come to the point of excepting this is your life if it ends that might not be that bad so you commit a small felony to go to jail for a while then you get some good sleep you haven’t had in a long time some hot food 3 times a day and medical and dental services while you’re locked up only to be released into the same situation as you get older prison starts looking better and better and it is. A bed food clean clothes and all I need to do is steel something or break into someplace and you’re aware that it needs to be bad enough to get some decent time so you can stay for a while I was out on the streets for over 13 yrs I realize that’s not long compared to allot of homeless it’s very lonely and isolating this is my story and mine alone but I’m sure someone can relate
Dewayne, thank you for sharing your personal experience on Burien.News. This is indeed a complex issue and devastating for many who find themselves lost and alone on the streets. We trust that you currently in a better, more stable environment. Our best to you, Katie
Unbeleivable
There is SOMETHING that we need to do to help with housing. There is alot of properties out there put up small homes and train them on jobs like maintenence ect…or farms and do farm look.
Here’s a Seattle Times story on the Tiny Homes just sitting in a lot and reasons on why they are not being used from Oct.2024
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/the-saga-of-seattles-empty-tiny-homes-is-building-to-a-head/
But what about the addiction or untreated mental illness that affects a certain percentage of that group? Unless there are clearly enforceable rules and mandatory treatment what does anyone gain if they don’t gain clarity and awareness to improve the situation they’re in? How can you expect a person to improve if you let them cloud reality with demons or drugs, a roof without treatment is just a roof with no walls to hold it up long term.
This was my family, jam your opinions… You can’t make peoples choices for them, and you can’t force people to live the life you want them to live. All we did was our best to love and support them and this is the first we are hearing about their situation. We hadn’t heard from them in over a year and the last contact anyone had from the missing persons team was 2023.
John, we are very sorry to hear of your loss, and hope that you may find solace in the discovery of your loved one. We grieve with you and for your family. – Katie
John, I am so sorry for the loss of your family member and truly understand how as much love and support you give someone it still doesn’t help. All you need to know is your family did their best and your loved one is no longer suffering from their demons if in fact that is how they left this place we call Earth.
My comment above was no disrespect towards your lost loved one or towards your family.
You for sure have the wrong person. With a very heavy heart I have to say it was my son Willam Webb. We will forever miss him
I’m sooooooo sorry for your loss!! I loved him like a brother and will always remember him fondly!! RIP Billy Bob 🩵💙🩵