Detectives in Washington ask for public's help to locate person of interest in 1990s homicide

A photo of Nelson provided by the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office. (via KIRO7.com)

A photo of Nelson provided by the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office. (via KIRO7.com)

Detectives with the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office are asking for the public's help in locating a person of interest in a 1990s homicide.

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Officials said they found human skeletal remains May 22 buried in the backyard of a residence in Bothell, Washington.

According to detectives, the remains are believed to be Michael Powell. Powell has not been in contact with his family since the early 1990s and was in his early 30s at the time of his death.

“Based on evidence gathered during the investigation, detectives believe the decedent was a victim of homicide and are seeking the public’s help to locate a person of interest in Powell’s death, 43 year-old Richard 'Rick' Nelson,” detectives wrote in a news release.

Officials said Nelson has ties to the Pierce County area and was last known to live in Bonney Lake.

Nelson is described as 5 feet, 9 inches tall, weighing 185 pounds, with brown eyes and blond hair.

Anyone with information on Nelson’s location and/or with information about Powell’s whereabouts in the early 1990s is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office's anonymous tip line at 425-388-3845.