Body found in 2012 identified as Seattle man

GRANT COUNTY — The body found last year floating in the Columbia River near Vantage was identified Tuesday as a 75-year-old Seattle man.

Grant County Coroner Craig Morrison identified the remains as Toshio Ota, ruling his cause of death as homicide from a head injury, according to a press release.

Ota’s body was found in August 2012 near the Interstate 90 bridge in Vantage. He had reportedly been missing from the Seattle area since 2011.

Detectives are still investigating the incident and ask anyone with information to contact Detective Kyle Cox at 509-754-2011, ext. 468 or send information to crimetips@co.grant.wa.us.

For more information, pick up Wednesday’s edition of the Columbia Basin Herald.

— Staff report