Tourist Vanished at Snoqualmie Falls — 3 Years Later He Was Found Beneath the Rocks | HO

SNOQUALMIE, Wash. — For millions of visitors, Snoqualmie Falls is a postcard-perfect destination. Its thunderous cascade, plunging 82 meters into a misty gorge, is crowned by rainbows and surrounded by lush Pacific Northwest forest. But for the Milner family, this iconic waterfall became the epicenter of a dark, three-year mystery—one that began with a final photograph and ended with the discovery of a body buried deep beneath the rocks.

The Disappearance

Josh Milner, 28, was not your average tourist. The Seattle-based photographer was known for his blog and photo project, “Lost Waters,” dedicated to documenting hidden waterfalls, forgotten dams, and abandoned hydroelectric stations across the Northwest. Drawn to the eerie beauty of decay and the intersection of nature and industry, Josh often ventured off the beaten path, seeking out places left behind by time.

On August 16, 2020, Josh sent a brief message to a friend: “Heading to Snoqualmie, want to photograph one of the lower waterfalls that isn’t on the maps. Should be back by evening.” It was the last anyone heard from him.

His family and friends, used to his solitary expeditions, weren’t initially alarmed when Josh failed to return. But after three days with no contact and his phone still off, they called police. On August 21, a patrol officer found Josh’s Subaru Outback locked in the main parking lot at the falls. Nothing inside suggested foul play.

The search began immediately. Volunteers and law enforcement combed the official trails and the maze of abandoned paths that crisscrossed the area. About 100 meters from the car, near an unofficial trail leading toward the river, searchers found Josh’s camera bag lying open in the bushes. Inside was a cracked camera lens—a troubling sign that raised questions about a possible fall or struggle. But Josh, along with his camera, phone, and wallet, was nowhere to be found.

An Intensive Search

The discovery of the camera bag triggered one of the largest search operations in King County history. Dozens of volunteers scoured the dense woods, ferns, and moss-covered slopes. Dog teams followed the trail from the bag down to the river’s edge, but lost the scent among slippery boulders. Helicopters circled overhead, but the thick canopy rendered aerial searches nearly useless. Divers braved the cold, murky waters at the base of the falls and downstream, fighting powerful currents and zero visibility as they searched for any sign of Josh.

The prevailing theory was that Josh had slipped on the wet rocks, fallen into the river, and been swept away by the fierce current. But after weeks of searching, no body was found. In late August, after nearly three weeks of fruitless effort, the King County Sheriff announced the end of the active search. The official version was that Josh had likely drowned in an accident. His body, they said, was probably trapped in an inaccessible spot on the riverbed.

For Josh’s family, the uncertainty was agonizing. They mourned without a funeral, clinging to the accident theory as the only explanation. But the truth, as it would turn out, was far more chilling—and it lay hidden just a few hundred meters from where the search had taken place.

A Storm Uncovers the Truth

Three years passed. In September 2023, powerful autumn storms battered Washington State. Days of torrential rain triggered floods and landslides throughout the region. Snoqualmie Falls, normally picturesque, became a raging torrent, ripping trees and rocks from the banks. One night, a deep rumble echoed through the ground as a massive section of rock ledge downstream from the falls collapsed, leaving a fresh scar and a jumble of debris at the base.

For a group of local climbers and cavers, the landslide presented a rare opportunity to explore new cracks and crevices exposed by the collapse. Equipped with ropes and helmets, a team of four began investigating the unstable terrain. In a narrow fissure several meters deep, one climber spotted something unusual wedged between two freshly broken boulders—a patch of dark green fabric and the remains of a hiking boot.

As he descended, the smell of decay grew stronger. Illuminated by his headlamp, the climber realized he had found a human body—what remained of it after three years in a damp, sealed environment. He immediately alerted his companions and called 911.

The Recovery

The scene quickly became the focus of a complex rescue and investigation. The narrow crevice and shifting boulders made recovery dangerous. Specialized mountain rescue teams worked for 12 hours, using hydraulic equipment to move the rocks just enough to free the body.

As investigators examined the remains, it became clear that the accident theory no longer held. The body’s hands were tied behind its back with thick nylon cord. The medical examiner noted a depressed fracture in the back of the skull—a fatal injury caused by a heavy, blunt object. This was no accident. It was murder.

The remains were sent to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office in Seattle. Forensic anthropologists compared Josh’s dental records and extracted DNA from the bone marrow, confirming the identity beyond doubt. The cause of death was determined: a single, fatal blow to the head, delivered before the body was hidden in the crevice. The cord used to bind the hands matched the drawstring from Josh’s own camera bag—a detail that suggested the killer had used what was immediately available.

Clues Point to Murder

Chemical analysis of Josh’s clothing revealed microscopic traces of benzene and ammonia, both industrial solvents not found naturally in the forest. Investigators theorized that Josh had been in an industrial environment—perhaps a warehouse or garage—shortly before his death.

A key piece of evidence emerged from the intact inner pocket of Josh’s jacket: a white key card with a magnetic strip and the number “101.” Detectives launched a massive effort to trace the card, contacting hotels, offices, and warehouses within a 50-mile radius. No matches were found.

A breakthrough came when an investigator checked archives related to the old hydroelectric dam near Snoqualmie Falls—an area Josh had been keen to photograph. Among the records was a map showing a decommissioned technical warehouse, number 101, in a wooded area about a mile and a half from the dam.

The next day, a task force located the warehouse, a concrete building overgrown with ivy and fitted with a modern electronic lock. When detectives swiped the key card, the lock clicked open. Inside, they found not old equipment, but an active drug stash: empty plastic boxes, packaging materials, scales, solvent cans, and traces of cocaine.

Josh Milner, it seemed, had stumbled onto a hidden drug operation while pursuing his passion for photographing abandoned sites.

The Suspect

The investigation quickly focused on Rick Thompson, a 35-year-old local with a criminal record and ties to the drug trade. His father had worked at the dam and may have known about the abandoned warehouse. Surveillance was placed on Thompson’s trailer in North Bend, and detectives dug into his past, uncovering connections to gangs distributing methamphetamine from Canada.

A final piece of evidence came from an old 2GB SD card that Josh had sold to a pawn shop for gas money before his trip. In 2020, police had dismissed it as irrelevant, but new forensic techniques allowed the FBI to recover deleted files. Among them were photos showing the inside of warehouse 101, and in one, the blurred face of Rick Thompson, caught in surprise or anger.

With this evidence, police arrested Thompson. Confronted with the photo of himself inside the warehouse, Thompson broke down. He confessed that on the day of the murder, he was unloading drugs when Josh wandered in, camera in hand. Panicked, Thompson struck Josh with a metal pipe, killing him. Fearing exposure, he tied the body, hid it in his truck, and dumped it in the gorge, hoping it would never be found. He destroyed the camera and SD card, unaware of the existence of the old card.

Thompson pleaded guilty to premeditated murder and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

A Community Remembers

Josh Milner’s remains were returned to his family, who cremated him and scattered his ashes in the mountains he loved. His mother established the Lost Waters Foundation to support independent photographers and promote safety for solo travelers.

The mystery of Snoqualmie Falls was solved, but it left a lingering question about the dangers that can lurk behind the beauty of the wilderness. Josh’s quest to capture forgotten places inadvertently exposed a criminal enterprise—and ultimately cost him his life. Only by chance, through the forces of nature, was the truth unearthed.

The case stands as a somber reminder: sometimes, the world’s hidden wonders conceal its darkest secrets, and only the unpredictable power of nature can bring those secrets to light.