OCEAN PARK — A formal criminal investigation has been launched into the death of a man in Ocean Park.

The incident unfolded on Jan. 27 at 8:49 a.m. after a woman called 911 reporting a man was dead.

A records request into the incident is blocked, and only a call-assisted dispatch (CAD) report from the Pacific County 911 Dispatch Center (PacCom) has been released.

According to the report, Pacific County Fire District No. 1 responded to a dead-body call at a residence on the 24000 Block of Dell Place in Ocean Park along with the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office. The first unit was on scene at 8:56 a.m.

The 911 caller was reportedly sent to the residence to check on her mother’s boyfriend and discovered he was unresponsive. PacCom documented this in the incident’s CAD report.

“When RP arrived, she found him deceased on [the] front porch beyond help [and] stiff,” a dispatcher states in the CAD report. “He is laying on front porch [with a] phone next to him. Lights on inside home. RP said she took her foot [and] moved his arm and it’s stiff.”

Deputies were at the scene from 9:08 a.m. through 1:12 p.m. investigating the incident.

The Observer submitted a public records request for the incident on Feb. 5, which was acknowledged on Feb. 11. A clarification was issued after an additional 16 days regarding locating relevant information about the incident.

According to a response to the records request, on Feb. 27, the sheriff’s office anticipated it could take up to 30 days to provide any records in the case.

“Per PCSO: ‘Detective Nacnac has informed me that he will not be able to determine if this is going to be a criminal investigation or not until he gets the autopsy report. Once he has that report, he will be able to let us know if this will be a criminal investigation. For now, it is just considered active,” the response letter stated.

The Observer filed a clarification in response, seeking the CAD report at minimum, which was provided promptly.

On March 13, the sheriff’s office determined the case had become an active criminal investigation, which suggests the autopsy findings showed potential foul play.

“Per PCSO: [the case] is now considered an active investigation within the sheriff’s office therefore we are unable to release any documents regarding this case per RCW 42.56.240(1)…” the letter stated.

This state law exempts any and all records containing special intelligence involved in a criminal case, and there is no ability to challenge the exemption.

Agencies are not required to prove in any way that a case is active under Washington law, which often results in lengthy delays before additional information is disclosed.