SKAMANIA, Wash. (KOIN) — A woman who was last seen with a man whose remains were found on a back road in Skamania County has not been seen in almost a month and the Vancouver Police Department is asking for help to find her.
Ashanti A. Conde was last seen with Michael A. Conley around February 22 leaving a home in Brush Prairie, Vancouver police said in a release. Police and officials in Skamania County said it’s unclear what the relationship was between the 27-year-old woman and the 51-year-old man.
But there is concern because Conley has a criminal history, including 2nd-degree assault.
Conde and Conley were last seen together in a silver 2002 Cadillac Seville. She hasn’t been seen since. She is African-American, 5-feet-1, 145 pounds with green eyes and long, black hair.
Five days after they were last seen, Conley was reported missing. His body was found on March 8 about 4 miles northeast of Dougan Falls on a private drive, just off the W 2000 Road, the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office said. His car was found disabled in heavy snow about 2 miles away and Conley had been exposed to the snow and the cold.
“It looked like the vehicle had a flat tire,” Skamania County Sheriff Dave Brown told KOIN 6 News. “Obviously he must’ve made the decision that he couldn’t fix the car so he started walking out.”
The day his body was found, the Cadillac was reported stolen to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. But Skamania County authorities said it was listed as being taken around February 23.
“By all evidence right now, it would appear that he succumbed to the elements and tried to get himself out,” Brown said. “There was some evidence that he tried to make some 911 calls that would’ve been back on the 23rd of February.”
Conley’s autopsy showed no trauma on his body but there was evidence of frostbite. Brown said there was no evidence Conde was with him.
Detectives will continue to scour the area near Dougan Falls for the next few weeks, officials said. They’ll make a decision later whether to bring in a search-and-rescue team.
Brown added, “There’s a lot of country on each side. It’s huge. There’s a lot to cover.”
She is not under any criminal investigation, police said. At this time it’s a missing person case and anyone with information is asked to call the Vancouver Police Department or email Detective David Jensen: david.jensen@cityofvancouver.us