Remains of last victim of Washington mudslide found

EVERETT, Wash., July 22 (UPI) -- Searchers found what is believed to be the remains of the 43rd victim of the massive mudslide in Oso, Wash., the only person still listed as missing.

Molly Kristine "Kris" Regelbrugge lived in Oso with her husband, Navy Cmdr. John Regelbrugge III, whose body was recovered in late March.

On March 22, a hillside over the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River gave way. A square mile of the hamlet of Oso was buried under mud and debris and the slide blocked the river and a state highway.

Early reports listed scores of people as missing. Officials said that some bodies might never be recovered.

But the projected toll dropped considerably. The slide is the third deadliest natural disaster in Washington history after the Mount St. Helen's eruption in 1980 and a 1907 avalanche that buried two passenger trains in Stevens Pass.

The Regelbrugges had three sons and two daughters. Their youngest son was living at home but left for work shortly before the slide.

The body is the first to be recovered since May 22, when searchers found the remains of Steven Hadaway. He was an installer for Dish TV and was in Oso on a job.

In late April, with two people still missing, officials announced the intensive recovery operation was over.