A Southern California woman has been found dead on a hiking trail near Big Sur under mysterious circumstances.
Joanna Ruth Shields was found naked in a pool of water with markings around her neck and a gash on her head, reports say.
The body of the 37-year-old from Carlsbad was discovered along Ping Ridge Trail near Sykes Hot Springs last week.
The body of the 37-year-old from Carlsbad was discovered along Ping Ridge Trail near Sykes Hot Springs last week. Joanna Ruth Shields was found naked in a pool of water with markings around her neck and a gash on her head. A group of hikers said they had a chilling encounter with someone who said he was her friend, who they claim said she had been cleaning herself in the river when he found her face down in the water.
Hiker Luke Heerem told NBC: “They were out there. She went to the bathroom and was cleaning herself off in the river around 10:30. He went looking for her and then saw her face down in the water, naked.”
Another, Gabe Holmes, said: “I didn’t see any blood. She was pale. She had markings around her neck. And when the firefighter lifted the jacket, he confirmed that she had a big gash on her head.”
The hikers alerted California State Parks and the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office after finding the body. Deputies, assisted by California Highway Patrol Air Operations, recovered the remains on Friday.
The county medical examiner has completed a forensic examination, but the cause and manner of death remain under investigation pending toxicology results, according to the sheriff’s office.
The California Post has reached out to both the sheriff’s office and the medical examiner for comment.
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