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Sheriff’s Office Seeks Information for Unsolved 1987 Murders

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  June 29, 2015

CONTACT: Lt. Rob Palmer, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office
rob.palmer@snoco.org, 425-249-6263

Shari Ireton, Director of Communications, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office
shari.ireton@snoco.org, 425-388-3377, Media line: 425-249-6263

The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office is looking for information from the public that could lead to the identification of the person or persons responsible for the 1987 murders of Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook.

Twenty year old Jay Cook and his girlfriend, eighteen year old Tanya Van Cuylenborg were a young couple from Victoria, British Columbia who traveled to Washington State to run errands.

On November 18, 1987 Tanya and Jay left Victoria on the Coho Ferry, crossing over to Port Angeles, Washington. They were last seen alive in the Bremerton/Seattle area. On November 20, they were reported as missing.

Four days later, on November 24, Tanya’s body was discovered on a rural road near Alger in Skagit County. She had been sexually assaulted and shot.

On November 26, Jay’s body was discovered near Monroe in Snohomish County. Jay had been beaten and strangled.

Following the discovery of the bodies, the vehicle and some of Tanya’s personal belongings were located in Bellingham.  The van was found beside a Greyhound station and Tanya’s belongings behind a local tavern.

A reward of $25,000 (Canadian) has been offered from supporters of Tanya and Jay.

The family of Tanya and Jay are asking anyone with information to come forward:

If you can help, now is the time. More than 27 years have passed yet their murders remain unsolved. It may be that your situation that stopped you from coming forward in the past has since changed, and now is your opportunity. Help bring closure for our families.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office Anonymous Tip Line at 425-388-3845 or the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office tip line 360 419-7785.

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