Family of missing Arlington man files complaint over handling of investigation
The family of a missing man with autism has filed a formal complaint against the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office for how his case is being handled.
Jonathan Hoang went missing from his Arlington home on the evening of March 30.
He hasn't been seen or heard from since, and his family worries he was kidnapped.
'I'm frightened that because of the label, him being autistic,' his sister Irene Hoang Pfister told KIRO 7 last week. 'The people searching for him made an assumption, you know, that he just wandered off. But we think that someone took him.'
For about a week, rescue crews searched on foot, with K9 units, drones, and even helicopters to try and find Hoang. They didn't have any luck and called off their search.
Pfister said the Snohomish County Sheriff's deputies told her they won't search again, that as an adult, he is free to leave.
'They said because there is no evidence of a crime taking place or foul play has taken place, they don't think there's much that major crimes will do,' she said, 'which is really, it was devastating to hear yesterday.'
Upset by the response, Hoang's sister confirmed to KIRO 7 that her family has contacted the FBI.
The FBI told them to file a complaint.
'Major Crimes has done NO investigating and has not followed any of the leads our hired PI has offered,' Pfister said in an email this week to KIRO 7.
The family created a GoFundMe account to help pay for a private investigator and cover other costs to search for Hoang after the sheriff's office called off their efforts.
KIRO 7 reached out to the Washington State Attorney General's Office, which confirmed they did receive the family's formal complaint and an attorney has been assigned to review it.
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