Creepy Missile Silo Dive Site Near Tri-Cities is Full of History

***WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property***

During the Cold War with Russia, the United States constructed nearly 20 Titan missile sites around the country, and one of those sits in the middle of nowhere less than an hour’s drive North of Tri-Cities.

History, Adventure, Murder

The abandoned Titan I ICBM Complex in Warden, Washington (near Royal City) is full of history, adventure, and murder. It was built by the Federal Government in the late 1950s and was only operational for about three years. After that, it was decommissioned, gutted, and sold off to the highest bidder.

Diving the Titan I ICBM Complex in Warden, Washington

60 years later the silo is a world-renowned scuba diving site. Well, at least up until last year. According to Undersea Adventures in Tri-Cities (who has been the exclusive source for diving the site) the current owner has suspended all access to the silo due to liability issues. Who can blame him, right? After all, it’s not a dive for a novice and requires advanced diving certification along with night and cold water experience.

Jeffrey Dahmer Style Murders in the Depths of Washington Silos

In the 1970s, an Othello woman’s body was found submerged and chained to an old tire in the Warden complex. The discovery was made when the owner and workers were pumping water out of the site. She had been missing for over four years and her skeleton was all that remained. Her husband was convicted of the crime. Another murder took place at a missile site in Davenport, Washington. In 2003, a truck driver, Ralph Benson, shot Roger Erdman (a Washington State Fuel-Tax Auditor) in the back of the head and dismembered his body into hundreds of pieces. Erdman’s mistake was agreeing to meet Benson at his home – the old abandoned missile silo in Davenport. Benton was convicted and sentenced to 32 years in prison for the crime.

Diving Excursions Could Resume in the Future

Undersea Adventures reports there’s still a possibility the site will be open for guided diving excursions in the future and that they’re working with the owner to remedy legal concerns. You can monitor the progress or explore other diving opportunities at their website.