CAMANO, Wash. — A Camano Island family is asking for the public’s help to find the driver who hit and killed their son.
Washington State troopers said that the crash happened in Poulsbo in the overnight hours between December 8 and 9 of 2023.
Robert Rathvon, 35, of Camano Island, decided to stay at a local hotel after he had finished working a seven-day rotation as a Life Flight pilot, troopers said.
Rathvon had walked to a downtown restaurant to grab dinner and left before midnight.
Troopers said Rathvon, who was not familiar with the area, began walking back to his hotel.
They believe Rathvon took the wrong turn and ended up on the Finn Hill exit ramp, off northbound State Route 3.
A surveillance video captured Rathvon in the area of Viking Way and Finn Hill shortly after midnight.
Troopers said a vehicle had hit Rathvon on the shoulder of the ramp where a driver found his body several hours later.
The family and law enforcement are asking for the public’s help to find the person who killed Rathvon.
Crime Stoppers is offering a $26,000 reward to anyone who may have information that can lead to an arrest.
“I know there are some ideas out there who might be responsible for this,” said Jim Fuda, director for Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound. “We just have to keep this fresh in people’s minds because memories start to fade over time as well.”
Robert Rathvon was a Life Flight Pilot, helping people during emergencies across several states.
“He did it because he wanted to help people,” Kathryn Rathvon, mother, said. “He flew in some of the most dangerous parts of the world, and yet, he was killed as a pedestrian. The irony of that was just so difficult to wrap our minds around.”
As her son’s death approaches the one-year mark Monday, Kathryn told KIRO 7 News that she and her family have forgiven the person who killed her son.
“We have really dug deep into our hearts to forgive the person that killed our son,” she said.
However, she’s hoping more information can bring her family closure and justice.
“It would help give us faith yet again in our fellow human beings,” she shared.
William Rathvon, the father, wrote in a statement, “It has been a year of questions with few answers (Why did this happen to our dear son; How did it happen, and How could someone leave him on the side of the road; and Who did this? It has been a year of support for the pain that we are going through. Support especially from our small Family and our larger Family and closest friends. It has been year of searching and being deeper with God, and learning forgiveness, even for the deepest times of crisis
How could the public help out? We are hoping someone knows who has committed this act, and get the message out, so we can understand some of the answers and help our family heal. There is a gaping hole in our hearts that can be filled a bit by having closure to some of our answers. It may not seem a lot for us to ask, but this is the most important item that we are praying for.”
If anyone has information that can help detectives solve this case, you’re asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where you can remain anonymous.