Someone reported a grim discovery near Forest Park: the body of an adult man, lying near the park. The call came in around 10:30 a.m., and while investigators are still working to piece together what happened, police say there is one crucial detail that has calmed early fears — the death does not appear to be suspicious.
According to a status update from the Everett Police Department on Facebook, both police officers and Everett Fire Department crews responded to the scene after the community member's report. KIRO 7 News Seattle reports that someone called 911 to report the body near the park, prompting the joint police and fire response. Investigators have not released the man's identity, and the exact location where he was found within the park's boundary has not been made public.
Why the Medical Examiner Now Leads the Case
With police finding no signs of foul play, the case now shifts primarily to the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office, which holds independent statutory jurisdiction over sudden or unattended deaths under state law. Per Washington Revised Code, the office is legally responsible for determining both the cause and manner of death in cases like this one. The county lists six manner classifications — natural, accident, suicide, homicide, undetermined, or pending — according to Snohomish County.
That does not necessarily mean an autopsy is coming. County guidelines note that forensic autopsies are conducted at the medical examiner's discretion and are generally skipped when sufficient medical history already points toward natural causes without any indication of foul play. Snohomish County covers the full financial cost of these medicolegal death investigations, meaning families are not billed for the process regardless of the outcome.
A 110-Acre Park With Deep Roots in Everett
Forest Park itself is no small patch of green. Located at 802 East Mukilteo Boulevard, it is Everett's largest municipal park at 110 acres, with trails and a water playground, according to the City of Everett. The scale of the park, and the fact that much of it is heavily wooded, helps explain how a body could go unnoticed until it was reported Tuesday morning.
The park also carries some history. Purchased by the city in 1894 and officially named in 1913, Forest Park underwent a major expansion in the 1930s when Works Progress Administration crews built its terraced rock walls and the historic Floral Hall, according to the Mukilteo Historical Society. Those New Deal-era improvements are part of the park's documented history.
What Happens Next
The 911 call brought police and fire personnel to the scene after the body was reported near the park.
The case arrives as the Everett Police Department has launched a regular public update program called the EPD Police Blotter. For now, the department says its investigation into the man's death is ongoing, while the Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office works to determine the cause of death. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death, while police's early assessment is that the death is not suspicious.
