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Sheriff’s Office Detectives Seek the Public’s Help to Identify Suspect in 1987 Double Homicide Cold Case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  April 11, 2018

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EVERETT, Wash. – Detectives from the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office and the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office are seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect in a 1987 double homicide cold case. 

Over the past year, detectives worked with Parabon NanoLabs, a DNA technology company in Virginia, to generate a composite image based on trait predictions for an adult Caucasian male believed to be the suspect in this case.  Parabon specializes in DNA phenotyping, the process of predicting physical appearance and ancestry from unidentified DNA evidence.

"Jay and Tanya were brutally murdered and, more than three decades later, their killer has yet to be brought to justice," said Sheriff Ty Trenary. "We hope this new technology will help us positively identify a suspect and finally provide answers for their families."

On November 18, 1987, 21 year-old Jay Cook and 18 year-old Tanya Van Cuylenborg left Saanich, BC, Canada, traveling in Cook’s family van, a bronze 1977 Ford Club wagon, to Gensco Heating, a company in Seattle. Cook and Van Cuylenborg planned on picking up a part for Cook’s father, and return the next day to Canada via I-5.  They took the ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles, arriving around 4 p.m. Their last known whereabouts were when they purchased a ticket at 10:16 p.m. in Bremerton for the Seattle ferry.  Neither Cook nor Van Cuylenborg were seen or heard from again.

On November 24, 1987 Tanya’s partially clothed body was found in Skagit County in a ditch in a wooded area off Parson’s Creek Road between Old Hwy 99 and Prairie Road. On November 25, 1987 Cook’s van was located in Whatcom County locked up and abandoned in a Blue Diamond parking lot near State and Holly Streets in Bellingham. On November 26, 1987 Jay Cook’s body was found in Snohomish County along Crescent Lake Road, near High Bridge Road, on the Snoqualmie River, which is approximately three-quarters mile west of the old Washington State Reformatory’s Honor Farm near Monroe.

Detectives from Snohomish and Skagit Counties have been investigating this case since 1987 and have exhausted all leads to date.  DNA evidence collected during the investigation did not match any profiles in any DNA databases available to law enforcement. 

Using DNA evidence from this investigation, Snapshot produced trait predictions for the associated person of interest (POI). Individual predictions were made for the subject’s ancestry, eye color, hair color, skin color, freckling, and face shape. By combining these attributes of appearance, a Snapshot composite was produced depicting what the POI may have looked like at 25 years-old and with an average body-mass index (BMI) of 22. These default values were used because age and BMI cannot be determined from DNA. Additional composite images were also generated depicting how the POI might look at 45 years-old and 65 years-old.

It is important to note that Snapshot composites are scientific approximations of appearance based on DNA, and are not likely to be exact replicas of appearance. Environmental factors such as smoking, drinking, diet, and other non-environmental factors — e.g., facial hair, hairstyle, scars, etc. — cannot be predicted by DNA analysis and may cause further variation between the subject’s predicted and actual appearances.

Detectives hope the public can provide new tips and information that will lead to the identification of the perpetrator.  

“We are looking for anyone who knows something related to this case, or can identify a person of interest from the Parabon DNA predictions and images,” said Investigations Captain Jeff Miller. “Maybe you were too afraid to come forward at the time, or thought someone else would. Now is the time to share what you may have seen or heard.”

Detectives are also looking to track down a 35mm Minolta camera that belonged to Tanya. The camera lens was recovered and traced to a pawn shop in Portland, Oregon in 1990. The camera body is still missing.

“We know someone out there knows something that can help us with this case,” said Detective Jim Scharf. “Maybe somebody gave you a 35mm Minolta camera, or you bought this type of camera from someone around that time. The smallest detail could end up being the lead we need to solve this case.”

Family members are offering a reward up to $50,000 to anyone who can provide information by December 31, 2018 that leads to the positive identification of the suspect through a DNA match.

If you or anyone you know has information related to this case or can identify a possible person of interest, please call the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office tip line 425-388-3845.

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WSnapshot age 25
Using DNA evidence, Snapshot produced trait predictions for a suspect in this case. This Snapshot composite was produced depicting what the suspect may have looked like at 25 years-old. 
WSnapshot age 45
Using DNA evidence, Snapshot produced trait predictions for a suspect in this case. This Snapshot composite was produced depicting what the suspect may have looked like at 45 years-old. 
WSnapshot age 65
Using DNA evidence, Snapshot produced trait predictions for a suspect in this case. This Snapshot composite was produced depicting what the suspect may have looked like at 65 years-old. 
WTanya Van Cuylenborg
Tanya Van Cuylenborg (DOB 3/7/1969)
A resident of Saanich, BC (Vancouver Island), she was 18 years-old at the time of her death. Her body was found in Skagit County (Washington state) in a ditch in a wooded area off Parson’s Creek Road between Old Hwy 99 and Prairie Road on 11/24/1987.

WJay Cook
Jay Cook (DOB 12/15/1966)
A resident of Saanich, BC (Vancouver Island), he was 21 years-old at the time of his death. His body was found in Snohomish County (Washington state) along Crescent Lake Road, near High Bridge Road on the Snoqualmie River on 11/26/1987.

WJay and Tanya with Ford Club van
Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook with the van they drove to the United States, a bronze 1977 Ford Club wagon. The van was located in Whatcom County (Washington state), locked up and abandoned, in a Blue Diamond parking lot near State and Holly Streets in Bellingham on 11/25/1987.

WMinolta camera
Tanya owned a 35mm Minolta camera, similar to the one pictured here. The camera’s lens was recovered and traced to a pawn shop in Portland, Oregon in 1990. The camera body is still missing.

WDouble homicide Map
A map detailing the last known whereabouts of Jay Cook and Tanya Van Cuylenborg, as well as where their bodies were found.