Crime and Courts

FBI Seeks to Identify Woman Found Dead in Maryland National Park

Hikers found part of the woman's body in Catoctin Mountain Park in Thurmont, Maryland. She was carrying keychains saying “El Salvador” and “Love"

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The FBI is working to identify a woman found dead in a national park in Frederick County, Maryland. 

Hikers found a portion of the woman’s body on Saturday in Catoctin Mountain Park in Thurmont, the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office said in a statement Wednesday. 

The woman had long, dark hair with braids and was wearing a black tracksuit, wrist guard and red Nikes. She had a small Puma brand bag. 

FBI agents and National Park Service special agents responded to the park on Saturday afternoon after hikers found part of the woman’s body “in the surrounding area of the park,” the FBI said. Information on the exact location was not released. 

Photos show the woman’s keys, jacket, pants and purse, as well as one shoe. She had keychains saying “El Salvador” and “Love.” 

An autopsy will determine the woman’s cause of death. It was unclear how long her body was in the park. 

The National Park Service is assisting in the investigation.

The 5,700-acre park located about 60 miles northwest of D.C. has hiking trails and campsites. Camp David, the presidential retreat, lies within park boundaries. 

Anyone with information on the woman or “the disappearance of a missing person in the last six months” is asked to call the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit tips.fbi.gov. 

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story. 

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