Missing Elderly Woman Found Dead On Dirt Road Near Waterville

The body of an elderly woman who'd been reported missing out of Klickitat County has been found over 200 miles away in Douglas County.

On Tuesday, Douglas County Sheriff Tyler Caille confirmed to KPQ News that the 75-year-old from Goldendale was found deceased on Road K Southwest about five miles south of U.S. Highway 2 outside Waterville last weekend, roughly one week after a Silver Alert had been issued for her.

Caille says the woman was discovered lying in the middle of the roadway with her car nearby. He added that her vehicle had gotten high-centered but could not say how the woman might have died, speculating that she'd suffered some form of medical emergency after exiting the car to seek help.

Caille stressed that no foul play is suspected in her death, which marked the second elderly subject of a Silver Alert who's been found deceased on or near a rural roadway in Douglas County over the past week.

Get our free mobile app

Last weekend's discovery of the missing woman came only days after 70-year-old John Morrison was found dead in a remote area near Orondo some 50 miles away from his residence in Coulee City.

Morrison had been reported missing almost two weeks earlier and a Silver Alert was issued for him by the Washington State Patrol on July 5.

Although he termed the instances as highly coincidental, Caille says both individuals had no known connections to the areas of the county in which their bodies were found, and he has no idea why either of them made the decision to travel to these locations.

The Sheriff says he grew up exploring the same backroads of Douglas County and underscored the importance of having a plan and knowing the terrain before heading out on any sightseeing trips in these remote areas.

Caille added that anyone exploring the rural parts of Douglas County should also be prepared for a lack of cell service in some areas and that some county roads are highly primitive and not suitable for all types of vehicles.