206 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Tanya Van Cuylenborg

Death by Force
Case Description
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In the autumn of 1987, Tanya Van Cuylenborg, an 18-year-old White/Caucasian female, and her boyfriend, 20-year-old Jay Cook, set off from their homes in British Columbia for an overnight errand in Seattle, Washington. On November 18, they took a ferry in the Cook family's van to retrieve furnace parts for Jay's father's business. After crossing into the United States, they boarded a second ferry from Bremerton to Seattle, which was the last time they were confirmed to be seen. When the dependabl ...Read More
Links to Additional Sources (18)
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  • Mail Online: Genetic genealogy is used for the first time to convict killer
  • YouTube: Unsolved Mysteries with Dennis Farina - Season 5, Episode 22
    •     ...View 16 additional sources
    Victim Details

    Tanya Van Cuylenborg

    Female

    White / Caucasian

    Alger

    WA

    1987-11-18

    18

    Tanya

    Van Cuylenborg

    11/09/2025

    Forum Posts (3)
    I’ve been thinking about how vital the use of forensic genealogy was in catching Tanya and Jay’s... ...Read More
    06/01/2024
    Hey everyone, I've been following the tragic case of Tanya Van Cuylenborg and Jay Cook, and somethin... ...Read More
    05/02/2024
    I've been thinking a lot about the role technology played in bringing justice for Tanya Van Cuylenbo... ...Read More
    03/25/2023
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