FBI seeks help identifying dismembered body found by hikers in Maryland

BALTIMORE — Officials with the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office asked for the public’s help Wednesday identifying a woman whose body was found by hikers Saturday at Catoctin Mountain Park in Thurmont, Maryland.

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Officials said the discovery came Saturday afternoon, when hikers in a remote area of the national park found a red Nike shoe that contained a sock and the bones of a detached foot, according to The Frederick News-Post and The Washington Post. FBI spokeswoman Joy Jiras told the News-Post that other body parts were found less than 100 yards from the detached foot, although she said a foot and a hand remained missing.

Richard Ruggieri, a supervisory special agent in the FBI’s Baltimore office, told the Post that the body could have been in the woods for one to six months, although he estimated that it was likely closer to two months.

“It’s sad. It’s disheartening,” Ruggieri told the newspaper. “This person has a story to tell. First, we need to figure out who it is to tell the story.”

Authorities said the woman had long, dark hair with braids. She was wearing a black track suit, a wrist guard and red Nike shoes. Officials said she was also found with a Puma handbag and a set of keys that had an El Salvador keychain on it.

It was not immediately clear whether the case involved foul play. Authorities said they were awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine the woman’s cause of death. However, officials said the fact that no people have been reported missing from the park, and the fact that no abandoned vehicles have been reported nearby is suspicious.

“That’s just my gut. That’s my team’s gut,” Ruggieri told the Post. He added that “everything is on the table” as authorities continue to investigate.

Officials urged anyone with information on the case to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

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