Sometimes there are instances where a next-of-kin or other responsible person could not be located after a death due to limited or no contact information being available. When this happens, depending on the circumstances, the facility providing the cremation service will turn the cremated remains over to the coroner's office for storage. However, not all cremated remains are turned over to the coroner's office; some are stored at the facility conducting the cremation.
You can contact the coroner's office by calling 509-736-2720 or by emailing us at coroner@co.benton.wa.us and provide the name and other information you have for the person you are looking for. We will compare the information you have with the information we have to attempt to verify this is the person you are looking for.
If cremated remains are identified as the person you are looking for, and you live locally and want to pick them up at the coroner's office, or you live out of the area and wish to have them shipped to you, you should contact the coroner's office by calling 509-736-2720 or by emailing us at coroner@co.benton.wa.us
The coroner's office does check veteran's status and also provides information to the State of Washington Department of Veterans Affairs for any cremated remains brought to the coroner's office for storage, regardless of known veteran status. For information about the Washington State Veterans Cemetery call 509-299-6280 or visit their website at http://www.dva.wa.gov/cemetery.
