A Kootenai County death investigation is underway after hunters came across a woman’s body Sunday evening in the Coeur d’Alene National Forest, in a remote section near Marie Creek. The woman appeared to have been deceased for a considerable period of time before she was found.
The hunters, who were searching the area for bears, had to cut through several trees to reach the location by vehicle, indicating how isolated the scene was. A passport recovered near the body led investigators to believe the woman was approximately 69 years old and from New York.
Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office Leads Investigation
The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office is handling the case and does not anticipate any signs of foul play. Investigators were working as of this report to identify the woman definitively and notify her next of kin before releasing her name publicly. The remote terrain and apparent length of time since her death will likely factor into the ongoing inquiry.
What Comes Next
The Sheriff’s Office will continue working to formally confirm the woman’s identity and determine the cause and manner of death. The remote nature of the Marie Creek area — deep within the national forest — presents logistical challenges for investigators and recovery personnel alike.
Cases involving unattended deaths in wilderness areas are not uncommon in North Idaho, where vast stretches of backcountry can make locating missing persons difficult. Anyone with information relevant to a missing elderly woman from New York is encouraged to contact the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office directly.
For coverage of other recent public safety incidents in the region, see the Spokane shooting case awaiting a completed police inquiry and a fatal crash involving a Rathdrum teen on Highway 41.