(South Pass, WY) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s office has provided more information regarding a search and rescue effort that took place on February 23rd following a report of a vehicle in the snow about 1,000 yards off of Wyoming Highway 28.
Sheriff’s confirmed they located the body of a woman from out-of-state about four miles away from the vehicle Tuesday. Below is a release from the Sheriff’s office;
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On February 23, 2021 the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office was notified by a WYODOT employee that a vehicle had been observed parked several hundred yards from highway 28 on south pass. The WYDOT employee had checked the vehicle and found it unoccupied and observed a single set of footprints leading away from the vehicle in the snow. An FCSO Deputy responded to the scene and observed that the single set of footprints leaving the vehicle went in a southerly direction away from the highway. The Deputy began following the footprints and began to find items apparently discarded by the person making the footprints.
Due to the weather conditions in the area being cold and windy, Fremont County Search and Rescue was activated and a Classic Lifeguard helicopter was dispatched to assist in the search. The Deputy continued following the footprints on foot, cross country, while the helicopter crew searched from above. The helicopter crew observed a person laying in the snow approximately four miles from the vehicle. The helicopter crew was able to land nearby and found a 35-year-old Illinois woman who was deceased.
Fremont County Sheriff’s Office Investigators and a Fremont County Coroner’s Office Deputy attempted to travel to the scene of the woman’s body by ATV, but due to weather conditions and darkness, were unable to reach her on the night of February 23th. On the morning of February 24th 2021 FCSO Investigators and a Fremont County Coroner’s Office Deputy were able to reach the woman and recover her body. The cause and manner of the woman’s death are under investigation by the Fremont County Coroners Office. Investigators found no evidence of any other person in the area and no foul is suspected.