The coroner identified the man as Jason Watts; court proceedings ended the same day.
PASCO, Wash. — Pasco police are investigating the death of a man found inside a submerged car near the Chiawana Park boat launch after a fisherman reported the vehicle in the Columbia River at 7:58 a.m. Fri., Feb. 27, authorities said.
The Franklin County Coroner’s Office identified the man as Jason Watts. Police said they are treating the case as a homicide investigation while they work to recover evidence and determine how the vehicle ended up in the river. Court records show Watts was scheduled to be in Benton-Franklin Superior Court that morning during a jury trial tied to child sex-abuse allegations, a coincidence that immediately placed the death under sharp public attention.
Officers arrived at the park after the fisherman’s call and found a vehicle partially submerged near the launch with a person inside, police said. Cmdr. Thomas Groom said the person was believed to be dead at the scene. The boat launch was shut down as investigators marked off the area and coordinated a careful recovery. Dive and rescue crews were brought in to help remove the vehicle from the water and to ensure the surrounding area could be examined for anything that might explain how the car entered the river and whether anyone else was present earlier that morning.
By midafternoon, the coroner’s office publicly confirmed the identity as Jason Watts. Police said the investigation was ongoing and emphasized that “homicide” was the working classification while evidence is collected and reviewed. Pasco Police Capt. Bill Parramore said detectives approach cases like this with urgency and restraint. “We only get one shot at this,” Parramore said, explaining that investigators would treat the death as suspicious until facts show otherwise. Authorities have not said whether they believe the death was the result of foul play, an accident, or self-harm, and they have not released autopsy findings.
Watts’ death intersected with court proceedings already underway. The Benton-Franklin Superior Court docket showed Watts was scheduled to appear at 8:30 a.m. Fri., and court records indicated it would have been day five of his jury trial. Court records also show Watts faced charges spanning multiple years, including a 2013 case listing first-degree child molestation. In 2017, records list charges of first-degree rape of a child and second-degree child molestation, and a separate 2019 case lists a third-degree child molestation charge. Those charges were allegations being tried in court; no verdict was announced before the trial ended because of the defendant’s death.
Later Fri., after the court learned of Watts’ death, the proceedings were halted. The court reconvened shortly after 1:30 p.m., and Presiding Judge Bronson Brown formally dropped the charges and released jurors, according to accounts of the hearing. Ending a criminal case after a defendant’s death is a procedural step that closes the prosecution without a finding on guilt or innocence. Officials did not describe any further courtroom action beyond the dismissal and did not indicate whether other related cases, such as civil matters, could follow.
On the riverbank, investigators focused on reconstructing what happened before the fisherman’s report. Police said they worked with Columbia Basin Dive Rescue to retrieve the car and process the scene. Detectives canvassed the area and asked for information from anyone who was at or near the park that morning. Authorities have not said whether surveillance footage exists from nearby roads or facilities, but such footage is commonly sought in major investigations. Police also did not say whether the vehicle was running when found, whether windows were open or closed, or whether any items of interest were recovered from inside.
Parramore also described pretrial release conditions that applied in Watts’ case. He said Watts had posted bail set at $200,000 before the trial began and noted that defendants often post a percentage of the total amount to secure release. Officials have not said what conditions of release were in place, whether Watts had traveled recently, or whether he had made any statements to anyone connected to the case before he was found. Those are among the questions investigators may try to answer as they review phone records, court filings, and potential witness statements.
Police have not announced arrests, and they have not named any suspect or said they have identified anyone who may have been with Watts. Authorities also have not released the cause or manner of death. As of Sun., March 1, the department said it would provide more information when confirmed findings are available and investigative steps are complete.
Author note: Last updated March 1, 2026.