For months, mystery swirled around a 37-year-old Carlsbad woman found dead in the backcountry of Big Sur with a cut on her forehead and markings around her neck.
Hikers came across Joanna Ruth Shields’ body in a pool of water near Sykes Hot Springs on April 9, and rescue teams recovered her from the remote area of the Los Padres National Forest the following day, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.
Witnesses speculated that the markings could be a sign she was strangled, raising concerns about possible foul play. Detectives initially classified the case as a “suspicious death.”
But on Thursday, the Monterey County sheriff-coroner announced that detectives had found no evidence that a crime had taken place.
Her manner of death was ruled natural. Her cause of death was determined to be seizures due to alcohol withdrawal.
Alcohol withdrawal seizures are a rare, yet very dangerous, symptom experienced by about 1% of people suffering alcohol withdrawal. They typically take place within six to 48 hours of the body undergoing a sharp decrease in blood alcohol levels after a prolonged period of heavy drinking.
The sheriff-coroner’s determination on the cause of death was based on a forensic examination, Shields’ health and medical records and information provided by her family regarding her struggles with chronic alcohol use disorder.
The coroner determined that the markings found on her body were consistent with “postmortem insect activity” and were not evidence of strangulation. The gash on her forehead was determined to be superficial and not a contributing factor in her death.
Detectives also interviewed the person who was reported to be hiking with Shields last, who they said was fully cooperative with their investigation.
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with Joanna’s family and loved ones,” Sheriff-Coroner Tina Nieto said in a statement Thursday. “We hope these findings provide them with some measure of peace and closure after several difficult months.”
The rugged area where Shields’ body was found is accessible via a 20-mile hike with 5,000 feet of elevation and several river crossings along the Pine Ridge Trail, according to AllTrails.
Her friend Jessica Fessler described Shields as an adventurous spirit who was in love with nature.
“There was something so free about her … like she belonged to the wind and the sunshine,” Fessler wrote in a GoFundMe created to assist the family with funeral expenses. “Often gliding by on her skateboard, with a smile that brightened her gorgeous blue eyes.”
Fessler said Shields moved through the world with brightness and spontaneity in a constant journey of self-development.
Shields’ Instagram features dozens of photos of her adventures skateboarding, surfing, camping and hiking across California.
“Just a girl on a healing journey,” her bio states. “Finding how far her wild goes.”
