Death of Arlington man under investigation


May 11, 2012 · 4:39 PM

ARLINGTON — Snohomish County Sheriff's Office detectives are currently investigating the death of John Lawrence Oster, a 57-year-old resident of Arlington.

The cause and manner of Oster's death are unknown. There have been no arrests made or search warrants served at this time.

Oster was transported from his home to Cascade Valley Hospital in the early morning hours Wednesday, May 9. He told hospital personnel that he had been involved in a fight several hours earlier that day at a location other than his home.

Sheriff's Office investigators were called to Cascade Valley and began investigating the fight. Oster was unavailable to speak to detectives at the time due to medical treatment. He was subsequently transported to Harborview Hospital, where he died later that night.

The Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office has conducted an autopsy, but the cause and manner of death are pending. Sheriff's Office investigators are talking with witnesses.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.

So keep your comments:

  • Civil
  • Smart
  • On-topic
  • Free of profanity

We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters. We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please refer to our Terms of Use for full detail on participating on our site.