According to this article, remains found three weeks ago near Mineral, Washington have been identified as Michael Lloyd Riemer, who disappeared from Pierce County, Washington in 1985. He was 36 years old.
The case is an odd one. Michael disappeared with his girlfriend, Diana Robertson, and their two-year-old daughter, Crystal Robertson. They had gone on a combination trapline check and Christmas tree hunt in the woods. That afternoon, Crystal turned up wandering around a Wal-Mart K-Mart, alone. She said “Mommy is in the trees.” In February 1986 (two months after she went missing), Diana’s body was found on an old logging road. She’d been stabbed 17 times and strangled with a sock. Michael’s truck was nearby, bloodstained, with a note saying “I love you, Diana.” There was no indication of his whereabouts and the police weren’t sure whether he was a murderer or a victim, though it’s worth noting that the couple had a history of domestic violence.
Michael’s skull was also found on a logging road, about a mile from where Diana was found 25 years ago. This article says they can’t determine the cause of death; apparently all that they found was the skull. No word on how long they think it’s been there.
I think it’s likely that the case will remain an unsolved mystery.
The Charley Project Blog 
This case is one for the ages. I’m waiting for the book. It’s one of those “so odd it must be true” deals. I wonder what happened out there, but as you said, it’ll probably always be a mystery. I guess the good thing is that he was found and maybe the (now grown) daughter will get some closure knowing both parents are deceased, and he’s not out there a fugitive or some such.
WOW first shall I say.. Get the facts straight there was No walmart on the spanaway loop in 1985. Crystal was dropped off at kmart. This ungodly thing that happen to everyone involved especially the effects its had on Crystals life. Will Never be published. It will be a cold day. All I can thank god for in this situation. Is that Crystal is safe and that her father is no longer a missing suspected and can be put to rest…. This is not something you even want to watch on a movie let alone have happen to your family.. Shame on you
Shame on me for what? For making a very insignificant error — Wal-Mart/K-Mart? For discussing the case at all?
Wow, Sarah, relax.
This was a case I never thought would be solved. I think the find really does point to the same killer as in the Ruth Cooper and Stephen Harkins case. Also goes to show that if the search radius had been expanded just a bit more, the remains may well have been found much earlier. How many cases have we seen where bodies were found relatively close to where the victim was last seen, and just missed for years?
This situation has affected my family greatly as my 1/2 sister is another child of Michael’s, and is older than Crystal. The two sisters have never met. I do not think it is shameful for someone to consider a book about this as this is, for us, a local, personal (for us), and painful mystery.