By Ross O’Keefe
Markings on the neck of a woman found naked and dead in the wilderness near Big Sur were caused by insect bites, not strangulation, cops have revealed.
Joanna Shields’ body was discovered in a pool of water on Pine Ridge Trail near Sykes Hot Springs on April 9.
The 37-year-old reportedly had a gash on her head and the hikers who found her claimed she had suspicious markings on her neck.
But on Friday cops shot down any suggestion she had been strangled, saying they believe the marks were possibly caused by ants.
Sheriff’s office spokesman Andres Rosas told KSBW: “In this particular case, this person tragically had injuries that were consistent with injuries that would be caused by insects.
“So in this case, we’re not looking at what they (the hikers) believed it was. We’re looking at markings that were a result of insects.
“I think if there was an obvious sign of death, we would have already been able to conclude or make a conclusion on that.
“But in this particular case, the examiner has determined that we need the lab results from the toxicology in order to make that final determination.”