VANCOUVER, Wash — The Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the human remains found inside a burned vehicle in Hazel Dell in August.
The man, Khalid M. Al-Hassan, was 38 years old and from Vancouver. The Clark County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that his cause of death was homicide by another person or persons.
Clark County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) deputies who were investigating a man's disappearance went to his last known address near Northwest Sluman Road and Overlook Drive on Aug. 21 and found a burned Kia Soul at his home. After they contacted CCSO's Major Crimes Unit and after obtained a search warrant, detectives found human remains inside the vehicle, identified as Al-Hassan.
CCSO later charged a man, Logan Melchert, with second-degree arson and unlawful disposal of human remains in connection with the investigation. At the time, CCSO said the investigation indicated that Melchert was responsible for setting the Kia Soul, which was owned by the estate of Melchert's deceased father, on fire.
Police clarified that Melchert's father died several months ago and is not the person who was reported missing.
Clark County jail records listed the additional unrelated charges Melchert faces as reckless driving, hit and run, driving with a license suspended or revoked and fugitive from justice.
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