KING COUNTY, WA - On January 10, 2000 the King County Medical Examiner's Office (KCMEO) investigated the deaths of three Chinese males whose bodies were found in a sealed cargo container offloaded from a freighter in Seattle. The three decedents were among a group of Chinese males attempting to enter the country illegally. The names and ages of the three decedents were:

• Jiang, Dian Biao, 35 years old
• Zhang, Hui, 25 years old
• Zhu, Ben Qing, 30 years old

All died of acute dehydration and malnutrition, manner of death ruled accident.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) assumed law enforcement responsibilities in the investigation. Jerry Webster, KCMEO employee, took the lead in working with authorities and the local Chinese community to locate and contact the decedents' next-of-kin in China. On September 29, 2000 the bodies of the three men were cremated through the King County Indigent Remains program.

Mr. Webster resigned from King County employment on September 22, 2000. On October 6th he left for private trip to China. Before leaving, Mr. Webster had made arrangements with next-of-kin to take the remains with him to China with the intent of returning them to family members. At no time was he representing King County. On October 10th he was scheduled to travel to Fuzhou, China and meet with U.S. Embassy officials and the next-of-kin to turn over the remains to the family members. Mr. Webster is expected to return to the U.S. at the end of October 2000.