On May 24, 2021, the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office received a report that Ruth Elsasser-Kolberg, a 42-year-old female was missing from her residence in the Husum area north of White Salmon, Washington. The missing person was reported to have health issues that were of concern, and was also known to go hiking on the trails around her residence.
Deputy Mitch Kegley responded to investigate the call. Volunteers with the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue were called in and assisted with searching the area. Several Search and Rescue dog teams were used to assist in searching for the missing person. The area around the residence was steep and difficult to navigate. Attempts were made to “ping” or locate the missing person based on her cell phone’s location, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
On May 25, 2021, Undersheriff Tim Neher, Sergeant Fred Killian, and Deputy Erik Beasley responded back to the residence. Deputy Erik Beasley deployed a Sheriff’s Office drone to search the harder to reach areas. Additional searchers and dog teams returned to the scene to continue searching for the missing person. Additional attempts were made to “ping” or locate the missing person based on her cell phone’s location, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
On May 26, 2021, searchers returned to the area to continue the search for the missing person.
Detective Jason Ritoch and Detective Robert Bianchi were assigned to investigate the case and spent the next several days speaking to family and friends.
On June 3, 2021, a neighbor of the missing person located a body at the bottom of a steep cliff, a short distance from the missing person’s residence. Detective Jason Ritoch responded, but was unable to reach the body due to the steep terrain. Detective Jason Ritoch arranged with the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue volunteers, for a rope rescue team to respond the next morning to assist with recovering the body.
Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Posse volunteers were called in to maintain security of the scene, until Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue volunteers could return the next morning.
On June 4, 2021, volunteers with the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, returned to the scene and used a high angle rope rescue team to recover the body. Once the person had been identified as the missing person, family members were notified.
Detective Jason Ritoch is continuing to investigate the case.
Sheriff Songer would like to thank the many volunteers including volunteers with the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue, Department of Emergency Management Director and Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Coordinator Jeff King, and the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office Posse, for their countless hours spent trying to locate the missing person in this case.