Murdered woman found near Camano bunker

Investigators haven’t identified the body of a murdered woman that was found near a Camano Island bunker filled with guns, ammunition and survival supplies, Island County Coroner Robert Bishop said Monday.

Bishop said he hopes to be able to determine the cause of death and positively identify the woman following an autopsy Tuesday. He had been working at the wooded scene for days in what he called “a fairly involved case.”

Island County Sheriff Mark Brown said people walking on the undeveloped, wooded property near Tamarack Lane on south Camano Island reported finding the body at about 2:30 p.m. March 3.

Detectives with the sheriff’s office, members of the Washington State Patrol Crime lab and the coroner served several search warrants on the property and recovered the body of a white woman who had been dead several days, the sheriff’s office reported.

Investigators determined her death was a homicide based on evidence at the scene. They believe the woman was “specifically targeted” and that the murder was not a random act, according to the sheriff’s office.

Detectives discovered a bunker dug into a hillside. It contained a cache of guns, bullets and supplies, which were seized by investigators.

Brown said investigators are developing leads on a person of interest and hope to release the information soon.

Anyone who wishes to provide information regarding the case should contact Detective Ed Wallace via the ICOM dispatch center at 360-679-9567 or tips@co.island.wa.us