Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office officials have identified the body of a woman who was found floating in the Tangipahoa River near Independence on Saturday as a 64-year-old from Washington state.
The woman is believed to have died of natural causes, and her name is being withheld while officials try to reach her next of kin, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Her body was found by a fisherman at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday near a bend in the river by the La. 40 bridge. Firefighters pronounced her dead at the scene.
Detectives have not determined what brought the woman to the area, but said they believe she was living out of her car, which was found parked along the highway.
Deputies are “continuing to work toward concluding” the investigation, officials said in a statement, but encouraged anyone with additional information to reach out to TPSO’s Criminal Investigations Division at 985-902-2088.