A California hiker whose remains were found in a remote Big Sur wilderness earlier this year died from complications of alcohol withdrawal, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.

Joanna Ruth Shields, 37, died of ‘probable alcohol withdrawal seizures due to chronic alcohol use disorder,’ the sheriff’s office said. Shields was found dead April 9 near Sykes Hot Springs along the Pine Ridge Trail in Los Padres National Forest.

Investigation Finds No Evidence of Crime

Investigators initially treated the case as suspicious because her cause of death was unknown, and hikers reported seeing a head wound and marks on her neck. However, the sheriff’s office said investigators found no evidence Shields was the victim of a crime.

An autopsy determined a laceration above her left eye was superficial and did not contribute to her death. Investigators also concluded the marks on her neck were caused by postmortem insect activity and found no evidence of strangulation.

Shields had a history of bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder. Family members told investigators her mental health declined in the months before her death after she stopped taking prescribed psychiatric medication.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.