Overview

• Tyler John Chase, a 23-year-old man from Portland, Oregon, was mistakenly declared dead by the Multnomah County Medical Examiner's Office in September 2023.
• The error occurred because the deceased person was found with Chase's wallet and temporary Oregon driver's license.
• Chase's family was given a death certificate and an urn of ashes, believing they were Chase's.
• The mistake was discovered in December 2023 when Chase visited a Department of Human Services office and was told he had been declared dead.
• The medical examiner's office has since changed its protocols, requiring fingerprint submission for positive identification for all individuals found with a temporary state-issued identification.