Tacoma woman’s remains discovered on WA coastal beach. Investigation underway

Authorities are investigating after a 51-year-old Tacoma woman’s remains were found on a beach just outside Ocean Shores in Grays Harbor County.

Deputies with the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of possible human remains found on a beach Oct. 22, the Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday in a Facebook post. Detectives and the county coroner’s office identified the woman as Annie Michelle Fears.

Fears’ father, Michael Fears, told the News Tribune in a phone call Wednesday that he and his family are devastated. He said his daughter did not own a car, and police are trying to find out how she got to Grays Harbor.

“They’re trying to find out who took her down there and took my daughter away,” Michael Fears said.

Annie Fears was born in Bangkok, Thailand, while her father was in the Air Force. Her father said she grew up in Tacoma, where she attended Visitation Catholic School and graduated from Curtis High School.

She leaves behind two daughters, ages 13 and 11, a son, age 30, and a husband, Michael Fears said. Annie Fears had been experiencing homelessness for the past year. Her father said he tried to get her to stay with him, but she did not want to.

“She was loved by a lot of people, that’s all I can say,” Michael Fears said.

Investigators with the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office asked that anyone who knows Annie Fears or who came across her to contact a detective at 360-964-1777.

The Tacoma Police Department is not involved in the investigation, a spokesperson said Wednesday. Officer Shelbie Boyd said it was not a Tacoma case, and Annie Fears had not been reported missing in Tacoma.

The Grays Harbor Coroner’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for information.

“I hope we get as much information out there on who she was dealing with and what was going on,” Michael Fears said. “Hopefully they find out how she ended up down in Ocean Shores.”