Shari Renae Booth, a 20-year-old student from Brush Prairie, Washington, disappeared on May 19, 2008, near Anacortes, Washington. At the time, she was a freshman biology major at Walla Walla University with aspirations of becoming an equine veterinarian. Shari was participating in a three-day advanced scuba diving class trip at the university's Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory. During one of the dives in Puget Sound, near Rosario Beach, she went underwater with a partner as part of a larger group but never resurfaced. She was wearing a black and blue two-piece Seasoft wetsuit, diving boots, fins, a dive tank, and a 20-pound diving belt.
Immediate and extensive search efforts were launched in the waters of Puget Sound following her failure to surface. The Coast Guard, alongside local volunteer searchers and a Navy helicopter crew, scoured an approximately 20-square-mile area for eight hours but found no trace of Shari. The search was eventually suspended due to deteriorating weather conditions after two days of intensive searching. Despite the exhaustive efforts of multiple agencies, no sign of her was ever found, and she is presumed to have drowned. Her body has never been recovered.
In the years following Shari's disappearance, her family sought answers and accountability. Her mother filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Walla Walla University and the diving instructor. The lawsuit alleged deficiencies in the training and materials provided in the scuba course, claiming that Shari was not adequately prepared or properly instructed for the dive. It also contended that the dive location was inappropriate for novice divers and that the instructor failed to take appropriate action to try and save her. The lawsuit was settled out of court in September 2016, with no admission of liability from either side and the terms of the settlement remaining private. Shari was remembered as an outgoing and enthusiastic individual who was a talented artist, photographer, and musician. Memorial services were held for her, and scholarships were created in her name. The case remains a tragic loss for her family and community, an overview of a promising young life cut short during a university-sanctioned activity, leaving behind unanswered questions and the lasting pain of a loved one who vanished without a trace.
Last Seen: May 19, 2008
