Shocking cause of death for female hiker, 37, found dead on Big Sur trail with cut on her forehead and marks on her neck

The cause of death has been revealed for a female hiker found naked and dead in California’s wilderness with a gash on her forehead and marks on her neck.

Joanna Shields, 37, was found dead on April 9 along a remote Big Sur trail, where a group of fellow walkers discovered her, undressed and lying face down in a pool of water.

Unusual markings were found on her neck as well as a gash on her head, but authorities quickly determined the spots were caused by bug bites. 

On Thursday, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office announced the coroner concluded its investigation and Shields’ death was determined to be natural.

Her cause of death was ruled to be ‘probable alcohol withdrawal seizures due to chronic alcohol use disorder.’

‘Throughout the course of the investigation, detectives worked closely with the Coroner’s Office to thoroughly examine all available evidence surrounding Ms. Shields’ death,’ the sheriff’s office said.

‘The manner and cause of death were determined through the forensic examination, a reliable medical and health history, and information obtained from Ms. Shields’ family during the investigation.’

Investigators said the person who was with Shields before she died was fully cooperative with police, and no evidence indicated that she was the victim of a crime.

The marks on her neck were determined to be ‘postmortem insect activity,’ and the cut on her forehead as ‘superficial’ and not a contributing factor in her death. 

Alcohol withdrawal seizures are a symptom of alcohol withdrawal, which happens when a person suddenly stops drinking after prolonged and heavy alcohol use, according to Harvard Health.

Seizures can occur between six to 48 hours after a person has their last drink, and it is common for several seizures to occur over several hours. 

‘Our thoughts and prayers remain with Joanna’s family and loved ones. We hope these findings provide them with some measure of peace and closure after several difficult months,’ Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto said in a statement.

‘I also want to thank our detectives, Coroner’s staff, our forensic pathologist, and our public safety partners for their professionalism, compassion, and dedication to conducting a thorough investigation and providing Joanna’s family with the answers they deserved.’

California State Parks officials and Monterey County Sheriff’s recovered Shields’ body from a wooded area along the Pine Ridge Trail near Sykes Hot Springs in the Los Padres National Forest on April 10, the day after she was found.

A group on a two-night backcountry hike in the area made the grim discovery, with one of them, Gabe Holmes, describing what he saw to KSBW.

‘I didn’t see any blood,’ he said. ‘She was pale. She had markings around her neck. I don’t want to say, you know, choking marks, but when the firefighter lifted the jacket, he confirmed she had a big gash on her head.’

Another witness, Luke Heerma, told the outlet they had also encountered a person on the trail, described as cold and shaking, who claimed to be a friend of Shields.

Hiker John Heerma, describing the individual, added: ‘Scared, nervous, like shocked, his face just, like, numb and dull.’

When questioned by the group about what happened, the man reportedly said Shields had been cleaning herself in the river. 

A GoFundMe set up for Shields’s family described her as a person who ‘moved through this world with brightness and spontaneity.’

‘There was something so free about her… like she belonged to the wind and the sunshine,’ the fundraiser said.

‘Often gliding by on her skateboard, with a smile that brightened her gorgeous blue eyes, Joanna was a bright and adventurous spirit who touched the lives of everyone around her. 

‘Tragically, she passed away in a backpacking accident, leaving her family and friends heartbroken.’