Unidentified Body Found on Shuyak Island During Clean Up

Jay Barrett/KMXT
The unidentified human remains discovered on Shuyak Island Monday was found by the executive director of Kodiak’s Island Trails Network, whose crew was collecting marine debris on Shuyak and nearby Afognak Island this summer.
Andy Schroeder says he was alone in his skiff and scouting the next beach his crew of a dozen would clean when he spotted the body.
“And when I approached I saw human remains. Badly decomposed, but fully clothed, in sort of the mid-tide level on the beach. I came up for a closer look just to verify that I was seeing what I thought I saw. And upon realizing that I went back to the Island Sea and contacted the State Troopers.”
He said the Troopers responded quickly with a float plan out of Kodiak, and his crew helped with the transfer of the remains from the beach.
“The whole operations took less than two hours from the time I discovered the remains to the time it landed back in Kodiak. Our crews responded and were able to assist, and I think anybody would have done the same thing in that situation.”
Alaska State Trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said there was no identification with the body and that the State Medical Examiner will try to determine the person’s identity and cause of death. Schroeder said the body was dressed like a commercial fisherman.
“The victim was fully clothed, wearing chest waders, a rain jacket and gloves. I could see, nevertheless that the body was badly decomposed.”
Shuyak Island is 50 miles north of Kodiak City.