By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-07-23 21:00:54 | Updated at 2026-07-23 21:52:20
58 minutes ago
The cause of death for the hiker mysteriously found naked and dead in Big Sur has been revealed.
37-year-old Carlsbad native Joanna Ruth Shields died of “probable alcohol withdrawal seizures due to chronic alcohol use disorder,” the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said.
The cause of death for the hiker mysteriously found naked and dead in Big Sur has been revealed.
37-year-old Carlsbad native Joanna Ruth Shields died of “probable alcohol withdrawal seizures due to chronic alcohol use disorder,” the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said.Her body was found in a pool of water on Pine Ridge Trail near Sykes Hot Springs on April 9. She had a gash on her head and hikers claimed she had suspicious markings on her neck.
The cause of death appears to rule out a homicide. Cops previously shot down any suggestion she had been strangled, saying they believe the marks were possibly caused by ants.
