The mysterious markings on the neck of a 37-year-old California woman found dead and unclothed along a remote Big Sur trail were caused by insects, not foul play, the Monterey County Sheriff's Office said, though the investigation into her death is far from closed.
Joanna Shields of Carlsbad was discovered on April 9 in a pool of water along the Pine Ridge Trail near Sykes Hot Springs in the Los Padres National Forest. A group of hikers stumbled upon her body and initially feared the worst: she was naked, face down, with visible marks around her neck and a gash on her head.
But investigators now say those neck marks were consistent with injuries caused by insects, possibly ants, the New York Post reported, not strangulation. The finding rules out one of the most alarming possibilities that had circulated in the days after Shields's death. It does not, however, answer the central question: what killed her.
Andres Rosas, a spokesman for the Monterey County Sheriff's Office, told KSBW that the hikers' initial impressions did not match what investigators found during a forensic medical examination.
"In this particular case, this person tragically had injuries that were consistent with injuries that would be caused by insects."
Rosas drew a clear line between what the hikers believed they saw and what the evidence showed, as the Daily Mail detailed.
"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."
He added that the medical examiner determined toxicology lab results, expected in six to eight weeks, were necessary to establish a final cause of death. Foul play has not been ruled in or out. No one is in custody.
"I think if there was an obvious sign of death, we would have already been able to conclude or make a conclusion on that."
The sheriff's office also said there is no current threat to hikers or campers near Sykes Hot Springs. Anyone with information was asked to contact Detective Geng at 831-755-3700.
Gabe Holmes was part of a group on a two-night backcountry hike when they came across Shields. He described the scene to KSBW in stark terms.
"I didn't see any blood. 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."
Before reaching Shields, the group encountered an unnamed man on the trail who was cold, shaking, and claimed to be a friend of hers. Luke Heerma, another hiker in the group, told KSBW what the man said.
"He went looking for her and then just saw her face down in the water, naked."
The man reportedly said Shields had been cleaning herself off in the river around 10:30 a.m. John Heerma described the man's demeanor as "scared, nervous, like shocked, his face just, like, numb and dull."
Deputies recovered Shields's body the following day with help from California Highway Patrol air operations and conducted a forensic medical examination. The remoteness of the Pine Ridge Trail, deep in the Los Padres National Forest, made the recovery a logistical challenge.
Suspicious deaths in remote or unusual circumstances often generate intense public attention, as families of victims overseas have also learned when answers come slowly and grief outpaces investigation.
The insect-bite explanation addresses the neck markings but leaves major questions unanswered. The gash on Shields's head has not been publicly explained. No cause of death has been established. And the identity of the unnamed man who said he was her friend, and who found her face down in the water, has not been publicly disclosed.
Fox News reported that Commander Rosas told Fox News Digital directly: "At this point, nobody's in custody. Everybody has been cooperative. We've never said this is a murder." He added: "Sometimes things are not as they appear."
That last line may be the most telling. Investigators seem to be cautioning the public against jumping to conclusions while simultaneously declining to close any doors. The death remains classified as suspicious, a designation that keeps the full range of investigative tools available.
Cases where early appearances prove misleading are not uncommon. In one recent Ohio case, a husband's claims about his wife's injuries were contradicted by the evidence, and murder charges followed. Here, authorities are being far more measured, but the pending toxicology results will carry enormous weight.
Shields's sister, Claudia Robinson, confirmed the death publicly and described the family's anguish.
"She was a bright, radiant light in the peak of experiencing her own joy and gratitude for her existence, and her absence on Earth will have a profound effect on countless numbers who had the opportunity to encounter her beautiful spirit."
Robinson also quoted another sister, Rachel, who said: "This is the saddest sadness I have ever known."
Garrett Mail, who described himself as Shields's best friend, shared a tribute on Facebook. He said Shields had shaped the person he became and was preparing to start a podcast aimed at helping others.
"I honestly don't have words for how devastating this is to me. Joanna literally formed who I am today as a person."
Mail said Shields taught him mindfulness, patience, and unconditional love. He recalled that she once told him to get off the phone and go ask his future wife on a date.
"Joanna was about to do something great. She was about to start a podcast to discuss things that she held dear to her in an attempt to help other people... She was about to help change the world."
Jeff Anning, the owner and founder of Evolve Skateboards, told KABC News that Shields served as a brand ambassador for the company and was a familiar presence on the streets of San Diego.
"She just had so much energy. She was just so passionate, so kind, and she was always putting other people first. She definitely touched a lot of people in her journey."
Anning said Shields played a role in growing the sport among women, noting that group rides drew more female participants because of her involvement. A GoFundMe established for Shields's family had raised more than $21,500 as of Tuesday evening, surpassing its $18,000 goal.
The insect-bite finding narrows the mystery but does not resolve it. Several questions remain open. What caused the gash on Shields's head? What will the toxicology results show? Who was the unnamed man on the trail, and what is his full account of the morning of April 9? Why was Shields unclothed and face down in a pool of water?
Rosas acknowledged the limits of what investigators can say right now.
"But in this particular case, the examiner has determined that we need lab results from the toxicology in order to make that final determination."
Six to eight weeks is a long time for a grieving family to wait. It is also a long time for the public to sit with a case that has all the markings of something deeply unsettling, a young woman dead in the wilderness under circumstances no one can yet fully explain.
The facts will arrive on their own schedule. Until they do, the only honest posture is the one investigators have taken: keep looking, keep asking, and don't pretend the answers are in yet.