Sgt. Jeff Hollowell with the Inyo Sheriffs Department reports that after 22, frustrating, months, the Department of Justice finally finished their report on the death of 32 year old Bishop resident Shaleen Duckey.

When Duckey was found, many in the community thought that foul play was involved; but with a report finally back from the state labs, this case is being ruled a personal tragedy.

A long awaited DNA report ruled out foul play, leading the Inyo County Coroner to conclude that the manner of death was suicide.

Duckey was reported missing on July 14th, 2006, and found deceased in a field off South Barlow Lane eleven days later on July 25th.

The Inyo Sheriff’s investigators enlisted the help of a forensic team with the California Department of Justice to look over the evidence at the scene.

An autopsy had determined that that Duckey had bled to death and that there was methamphetamine and alcohol in her system, Hollowell reports. With a knife found at the scene, the manner of death depended on the DNA examination by the Department of Justice.

Almost two years later, the DOJ returned their conclusion that there was no suspect DNA on any of the evidence collected at the scene. With this long delayed report, the Inyo Coroner was finally able to determine that the manner of death in this case was self inflicted wounds.

 

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