🚨 THE CAUSE OF D3ATH OF THE BIG SUR HIKER HAS NOW BEEN REVEALED… WHAT AUTHORITIES HAVE ANNOUNCED IS LEAVING MANY PEOPLE CHILL3D
The cause of death for the hiker mysteriously found naked and dead in Big Sur has been revealed.
37-year-old Carlsbad native Joanna Ruth Shields died of “probable alcohol withdrawal seizures due to chronic alcohol use disorder,” the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said.
The cause of death for the hiker mysteriously found naked and dead in Big Sur has been revealed.
37-year-old Carlsbad native Joanna Ruth Shields died of “probable alcohol withdrawal seizures due to chronic alcohol use disorder,” the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said.
Her body was found in a pool of water on Pine Ridge Trail near Sykes Hot Springs on April 9. She had a gash on her head, and hikers claimed she had suspicious markings on her neck.
The cause of death, which officials say is natural, rules out a homicide. There was no evidence she was a victim of a crime, the MCSO said.
The coroner’s report revealed Shields was lying on the bank of a shallow river wearing only a black sports bra, with a pile of clothing, sandals and a water bottle nearby. Investigators observed a laceration above her left eye, numerous abrasions and bruises across her body and large numbers of ants covering her face, torso and legs.
The autopsy determined the forehead wound was a superficial scalp laceration that did not contribute to her death.
“Investigators found no evidence during the forensic examination or throughout the investigation to indicate that Ms. Shields was the victim of a crime,” they wrote.
The markings on her neck can be attributed to “postmortem insect activity” and there was “not evidence of strangulation or any criminal act.”
The coroner’s report also reveals new details about Shields’ struggles in the months leading up to her death.
According to investigators, Shields had a history of bipolar disorder and alcoholism. Her sister told detectives she had suffered alcohol withdrawal seizures in the past but had not experienced one since becoming sober.
Around Thanksgiving 2024, Shields stopped taking her prescribed psychiatric medications without the guidance of her psychiatrist and instead used psilocybin and marijuana to manage her condition. Her sister said Shields’ mental health rapidly declined, leading to paranoia, delusions, eviction and several incidents in which she removed her clothing in public.
She later moved to Illinois for treatment before eventually returning to California.
“Investigators found no evidence during the forensic examination or throughout the investigation to indicate that Ms. Shields was the victim of a crime,” they wrote.NBC
MCSO Sheriff-Coroner Tina Nieto expressed her condolences for Shields’ death and hoped the findings can provide closure for her family.
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with Joanna’s family and loved ones,” she wrote.
“We hope these findings provide them with some measure of peace and closure after several difficult months. I also want to thank our detectives, Coroner’s staff, our forensic pathologist, and our public safety partners for their professionalism, compassion, and dedication to conducting a thorough investigation and providing Joanna’s family with the answers they deserved.”
Shields’ family previously suggested she died in a very tragic way.
Shields’ sister Claudia Robinson says Shields’ death happened because of a “tragic event.”
“We found out and we’re all in different stages of grief as we attempt to process such a devastating blow to our hearts,” Robinson said.
“[Shields] was a bright, radiant light in the peak of experiencing her own joy and gratitude for her existence, and her absence on this Earth will have a profound effect on countless numbers who had the opportunity to encounter her beautiful spirit,” she added.
“As my sister Rachel said, ‘This is the saddest sadness I have ever known.’”
Shields was an avid skater and worked in the industry.
“She just had so much energy. She was just so passionate, so kind, and she was always, you know, putting other people first,” Jeff Anning, owner of Evolve Skateboards, where Shields used to work, said.
SOURCE: https://nypost.com/2026/07/23/us-news/big-sur-hiker-cause-of-death-revealed-after-mysterious-death/