Unidentified woman's body found in ditch

RUTH LONGORIA, THE OLYMPIAN

GRAPEVIEW -- The body of a woman was found in a ditch along a gravel road Wednesday morning, the second homicide in Mason County in two weeks.

A passer-by returning home from taking a child to school found the body, described as a white female about 70 years old, the Mason County Sheriff's Department reported.

The ditch is near the corner of Center Line Road and Olyview Place, about three miles west of state Highway 3 and nine miles northeast of Shelton.

"It appears to be a dump site. She seems to have been killed somewhere else," Sheriff's Inspector Mike Frank said.

There was trauma to the victim's head and she appears to have suffered gunshot wounds, Frank said.

An autopsy is scheduled for 9 a.m. today.

There was no identification or purse found with the woman, Frank said.

The victim was about 5 feet tall, 150 pounds, with short gray hair. She had a hearing aid in her right ear and was wearing a blue sweatsuit and black walking shoes.

Mason County Sheriff Steve Whybark asked for the public's help in identifying the victim.

A sketch artist's drawing will be released today if the woman is still unidentified, he said.

"We're not giving out any more information yet because there's still a bad guy out there and we've got to catch 'em first," Whybark said.

"But, it is critical to get the victim identified. We're asking everybody with a grandmother or other elderly person who is missing or they haven't been able to contact, to let us know."

Residents in the area are shocked.

Wes Rider, 71, lives in a mobile home within 1,000 feet of where the body was found.

"I about fell over when I heard about it this morning," Rider said.

The area, which consists of about a half-dozen homes within a few miles, is normally very quiet.

"This morning we've had helicopters and everything. It's very unusual," Rider said. "I moved here when I retired a few years ago for the peace and quiet. I wanted to get away from the things that happen in the city. This is terrible."

A 15-year-old Hoodsport girl, Jennie Osborn, died Feb. 25 of severe injuries to the pelvic region. Joseph Rosenow of Hoodsport, 46, a registered sex offender, is accused of killing Osborn and has been charged with first-degree murder.

Help wanted

Anyone with information about the case or the victim's identity is asked to call the Mason County Sheriff's office at (360) 427-9670, Ext. 313 or Ext. 226 after hours.

The Olympian Copyright 2000

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