Body found in Steamboat Island Road area

Thurston County Sheriff's officers are investigating a woman's dead body found in the Steamboat Island Road area off of state Highway 101.

Department of Natural Resource workers discovered the remains about 1:30 p.m. Thursday. The woman's body is located in a remote location in the woods near Old Highway 101 north of Whitaker Road NW.

Thurston County Sheriff's Sgt. Ray Brady said the woman's cause and manner of death were undetermined as of Thursday night. The body does not appear to have been lying out in the forest for too long, Sheriff's Lt. Greg Elwin said. The body is intact and partially clothed.

Due to the body's remote location and the rainy weather Thursday afternoon, detectives will secure the scene and continue their investigation on Friday morning, Elwin said.

There is nothing in particular that indicates the woman died of homicidal violence, "it's odd that there's a woman out here in the woods in this situation," Elwin said.

Jeremy Pawloski: 360-754-5445 jpawloski@theolympian.com