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2d ago

DNA Confirms Remains Found in Japan Are Missing Connecticut Hiker Pattie Wu-Murad

The discovery concludes a two-year international search but leaves questions surrounding her death unanswered as her family works to repatriate her remains.

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(L): Photo of Patricia Wu-Murad from a GoFundMe page organizing rescue efforts. (R) Signpost indicating Kumano Kodo, Kumano Kodo hiking pilgrimage trail, Totsukawa Commune, Nara Prefecture in Totsukawa, Japan on 24th of august 2017.
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Overview

  • Patricia 'Pattie' Wu-Murad, a 60-year-old experienced hiker, disappeared on April 10, 2023, while hiking Japan's Kumano Kodo trail.
  • Her remains, including a femur and personal items, were discovered on April 27, 2025, by a U.S. searcher retracing a previously searched area near where her backpack was found in 2024.
  • DNA testing confirmed the remains matched Wu-Murad, providing closure for her family after a two-year search involving local authorities, U.S. private teams, and international collaboration.
  • The rugged terrain, stream erosion, and intersecting trails of the Kumano Kodo complicated earlier search efforts and contributed to delays in locating her remains.
  • While the family is now navigating international protocols to return her remains to the U.S., the circumstances and cause of her death remain unresolved.