(UPDATED 4/13/26 at 5:25 p.m.)
MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has identified a woman whose body was found near Sykes Hot Springs in the Ventana Wilderness of the Los Padres National Forest.
Authorities identified the body as 37-year-old Joanna Ruth Shields of Carlsbad.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, California State Parks and sheriff’s deputies were notified April 9 of a body seen in the Sykes Hot Springs area, east of Big Sur. Deputies, with assistance from the California Highway Patrol’s H70 Air Unit, recovered the body on April 10.
A forensic medical examination was conducted April 13.
“The cause and manner of death are pending the results of toxicology tests,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Monday.
Monterey County Sheriff’s Office remains the lead investigating agency in the case.
Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to contact Detective R. Geng at 831-755-3700. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office website mcso.countyofmonterey.gov.
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MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a suspicious death in the Sykes Hot Springs area of the Ventana Wilderness in the Los Padres National Forest.
On April 9, California State Parks and sheriff’s deputies were notified of a body reported in the remote backcountry area. Deputies requested assistance from the California Highway Patrol H70 Air Unit, which transported personnel to the site late Thursday evening, where a body was located.
The Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team is working to recover the remains by ground, officials said, noting difficult terrain and weather conditions are complicating the operation.
“Current weather conditions are making this challenging,” stated the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office in a news release Friday.
Authorities said there are no known threats to the public for hikers or campers in the area. The Ventana Wilderness remains an active incident location.
The Pine Ridge Trail is closed to entry from Big Sur Station, though hikers exiting the wilderness toward Big Sur Station may still use the route. California State Parks rangers are stationed in the area to prevent entry, and officials are urging the public to avoid the region due to hazardous weather conditions.
The Sheriff’s Office thanked partner agencies, including the California Highway Patrol and Cal Fire, for assisting in the ongoing response.
“Monterey County Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigating agency in this matter. No further information is available at this time,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
