Gypsy Soul Identified: Family of Woman in Arcata Forest Notified

Press release from the Humboldt County Coroner’s Office:

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Law enforcement hikes back from where the young woman was located. [Photo by Oliver Cory.]

On September 10, 2015 the Arcata Police Department received a report of a deceased female located in the Redwood Community Forrest. After a thorough investigation by the Arcata Police and the Coroner’s Office it was determined that the cause of death was suicide.At the time of death, the deceased had nothing on her person that would indicate her identity. Fingerprints were taken and submitted to the local and FBI fingerprint identification systems. On September 21, 2015 the Coroner’s office was notified that the FBI fingerprint identification system had positively identified the deceased female as Sarah Anne Walsh, age 25, from Crossville, Tennessee. How Sarah came to be in Humboldt County is still under investigation.The next of kin have been notified and funeral arrangements are being made.

Earlier Information:

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51 Comments
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Kim
Guest
Kim
8 years ago

This is so sad.
She was so young and so far from home.
It hurts my heart to think of how alone she was.

karen walsh
Guest
karen walsh
8 years ago
Reply to  Kim

She wasnt
She was with her boyfriend 5 days earlier for sure

krinderhagen
Guest
krinderhagen
8 years ago
Reply to  karen walsh

Care to identify yje boyfriend and back pack

karen walsh
Guest
karen walsh
8 years ago
Reply to  krinderhagen

I have passed the info. along. Full name and picture.

Primrose
Guest
Primrose
8 years ago
Reply to  karen walsh

What’s his name? Maybe somebody here knows where he is. If you provide the information here maybe you can get some help. So strange nobody has posted his name.

Fives
Guest
Fives
8 years ago

It is incredibly heartbreaking.

Jeff Jacobsen
Guest
Jeff Jacobsen
8 years ago

So sad, So young! Please if you are having a bad day or have thoughts of suicide please call someone, anyone and tell them what is going on. There is help for you. Let someone know…. please! This too shall pass! September is Suicide Prevention Month…..Talk to a friend

Marie Struve
Guest
Marie Struve
8 years ago

I feel for her family. However, unanswered questions. Where were her personal effects, if she just walked into the woods wouldn’t she have had a backpack or at least a purse with her? Was she traveling with someone? Or was she found first by strangers who took her belongings for themselves? Thanks, Kym, for keeping up with this.

karen walsh
Guest
karen walsh
8 years ago
Reply to  Marie Struve

She did have a boyfriend and a backpack

Charlotte McDonald
Guest
Charlotte McDonald
8 years ago

How terribly 😔 sad 🌹💧

DaedraRose
Guest
DaedraRose
8 years ago

Does anyone know if they are going to investigate it further?

nines
Guest
8 years ago
Reply to  DaedraRose

They better. This was almost certainly NOT a suicide. I’m hoping they’re just trying to let whoever did it think they got away with it. No note. No ID. Nobody calling her missing. No vehicle. Not even.

Not even if she was a cutter. That’s very fashionable in some circles, the ones who tend to dress like she did and tattoo themselves the way she did.

Maybe she hung herself and the people who found her didn’t want to be any part of it… just moved the body to somewhere completely neutral… but more likely she OD’d and the boyfriend’s already flopped between some dumpsters in Seattle between fixes.

There’s a whole nation of transient kids like this and the girl wouldn’t have been alone.

karen walsh
Guest
karen walsh
8 years ago
Reply to  DaedraRose

Corornor said county cops closed case because of suicide ruling

Robin Surber
Guest
Robin Surber
8 years ago
Reply to  karen walsh

Really Karen? Even with the new info they are leaving it at suicide? That’s BS. I wonder if there is someone else you can call. 🙁

munchkin
Guest
8 years ago

at least she died in a peaceful beautiful place, surrounded by redwoods

Mogtx
Guest
8 years ago

So sad just a young girl rip sweetie

Sageplant
Guest
Sageplant
8 years ago

I wonder if it would be possible to acknowledge this young women. Could there be a small “In memory” of Sarah Anne Walsh? Was there a drivers license photo after she was ID that could be used in case any friends would want to show respects?
Just seems so unfinished…R.I.P. Young one….

karen walsh
Guest
karen walsh
8 years ago
Reply to  Sageplant

Her stuff and boyfriend are nowhere to be found

Primrose
Guest
Primrose
8 years ago
Reply to  karen walsh

So strange that nobody has posted any information on who she was with, where she was living, or even asked for help in finding out more information. If that was my daughter/relative you better believe I’d be hounding the media and pubic for help. So sad breaks my heart. Seems very unfinished.

COliver
Guest
COliver
8 years ago
Reply to  karen walsh

I wondered about that too but didn’t know anything about her being in Cali. Lots of questions.

COliver
Guest
COliver
8 years ago
Reply to  karen walsh

I agree, it doesn’t seem right. They should have checked into that.

krinderhagen
Guest
krinderhagen
8 years ago
Reply to  karen walsh

Something really stinks about rather its speculation to theory.
Five days earlier her boyfriend

COliver
Guest
COliver
8 years ago

Thank you for the heartfelt sentiments. Sarah was a childhood friend of my 3 daughters. They went to a small Christian school together and our families were close for many years. Time has separated us physically but not in our hearts. Her family is celebrating her life and will have a special time with family and friends on her birthday in Oct. We don’t know what Sarah’s journey was, but she is loved. Thank you for taking the time to share your care.

sageplant
Guest
sageplant
8 years ago
Reply to  COliver

Thank you COliver for the reply. It is comforting to hear that there will be a time for her to be remembered and family can have some closure.

COliver
Guest
COliver
8 years ago

We are struggling with this tragedy we have to process and our questions may never be answered. My oldest daughter says Sarah loved living and I choose to believe that. Last time I saw her was 3 yrs ago. She was quite a free spirit her whole life here and I’m sure into the next. Thanks again for all your sincere thoughts. I’ll be sure to pass them on to her family.

Gina
Guest
Gina
8 years ago

I am crying for this girl, so alone in the woods. Cannot believe she did this. I hope her family is loving and can find peace.

DaedraRose
Guest
DaedraRose
8 years ago
Reply to  Gina

I can assure you she did not kill herself. Sarah was not suicidal. I’ve known her most of my life. She LOVED living. She LOVED adventure and was constantly on to the next one. There are countless things that could have happened, but I am just absolutely appalled at the lack of care that the Arcata police department has shown. I have called half a dozen times, left messages, and tried to reach out, but no one ever returns my calls. This is no tragedy for them. It is a closed case they don’t want to “waste” tax dollars for. Typical pigs.

Jorundr
Guest
Jorundr
1 year ago
Reply to  DaedraRose

I hate to tell you this but I was really closed to Sarah for a long time she was very suicidal from time to time, she threatened it often, I dated her for a get years she used to threaten suicide often and tried drinking bug poison, cut herself, tried hanging herself multiple times to the point I couldn’t handle it anymore and had to part ways with her.. she was on drugs really bad also at the time, she was one of my really close friends back then and I knew her really well… she had her days where she went off the deep end and only seemed to be happy when she was high.. so I can see her unfortunately taking her own life.. this situation saddens me deeply, but she WAS suicidal and pretty in need of help mentally because her drug usage really screwed her mind up.. I miss her but thr last few times we spoke she basically shit talked me, made fun of me and went around sleeping with everyone I knew.. regardless this is a sad situation.. I only really found out today what actually happened and wanted to find out more and that led me here.

Primrose
Guest
Primrose
8 years ago

Why don’t you email Kym Kemp? Maybe she can help. Do you know who she was traveling with? Sometimes a reporter can give the police the push they need to investigate further.

Morgan
Guest
Morgan
8 years ago

Sarah was a beautiful free spirit, not the type to off herself at random. She was living a dream traveling with her boyfriend at the time. Supposedly trying to start a new life out in the west cost. I know for a fact that prior to her death she was visiting with a mutual friend in North Cali. She was happy, full of life and didn’t appear to be abnormally emotionally distressed. I do not know how they got to Arcata,probably hitch hiking maybe on foot or something. I hate that this is so under looked! I feel like there are many questions to be answered and there needs to be an investigation. I will attempt to post a picture of sarah and her boy friend his name is Aaron Cobb and maybe be able to answer some of the questions.

Morgan
Guest
Morgan
8 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

No a mutual friend of sarah and I has some of her stuff from a visit days prior to her death and she tried contacting Karen to see if she wanted some of thing she left behind but so far no response.

Morgan
Guest
Morgan
8 years ago
Reply to  Morgan

Also I confirmed the fact that Aaron aka boyfriend IS active on facebook and pleads innocent. From my own personal investigation I feel there is a lot more to the picture. Still many many questions to be answered.

Morgan
Guest
Morgan
8 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Thank you for the update. Today was her birthday and I’m sure the family is greaving and trying to remeber the good times. I’m so shocked by this tramatic news and is still hard to believe. May she Rest in Peace

nines
Guest
8 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Still, Sarah being legally an adult, her mother’s opinion should not let Arcata PD off the hook for finding out what really happened. I know she and Aaron look like babies to me, but we know at least Sarah was an adult. It strikes me they all might know more than they are saying and feel it will be worse to be made public, but the public, me for instance, needs better information. If the facts are entirely too delicate, still that doesn’t mean we can’t get more information on what the PD has done to investigate.

I believe all Northern California counties’ Coroners are using dud freelance or agency MEs who are not famous for good work, and for the cops to rely solely on that input, given all the anomalies and evidence she was NOT alone… we, human beings still, do NOT just throw away young women like that, do we?

Brian Andrews
Guest
Brian Andrews
6 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

I know it wasn’t a suicide. I talked to one of her camp mates. They left out some details they should of told the police.

Primrose
Guest
Primrose
8 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

Did you talk to the boyfriend? What’s his story? Can we get some info on what happened? The story was printed; seems as though if there is more information learned then it should be shared.

Morgan
Guest
Morgan
8 years ago

This is a picture dated August 30th, 2015 of sarah and Aaron. Maybe this can help paint a bigger picture that’s so unfinished. May sarah Rest in Peace for she will forever be miss and loved by many.

nines
Guest
8 years ago
Reply to  Morgan

The side of Aaron’s face is bruised. Those might be stitches on his neck. Arcata PD cannot be ignoring this. They just can NOT be ignoring this… or I’m in a coma somewhere having nightmares.

Morgan
Guest
Morgan
8 years ago
Reply to  nines

I agree something needs to be done. I’ll be calling tomorrow about my suspicions. This is all very troubling

nines
Guest
8 years ago
Reply to  Morgan

I hope you have some luck. This is AWFUL.

Aaron
Guest
Aaron
3 years ago
Reply to  nines

Bruises and stitches what a joke! Stop trying to put the blame on people who had nothing to do with her choice

lol momma
Guest
lol momma
8 years ago

Sarah I love you and miss you girl. you were a dear friend. i miss our talks and playing pool with you. i can’t believe your gone…. it still feels like yesterday we heard about the horrible news…. god…i still can’t believe it….miss you princess enna doll

Cole
Guest
Cole
7 years ago

Sarah and her bf at the time supposedly had a verbal argument that morning which led to a break up, Aaron grabbed his stuff said see ya and they agreed to go there two separate ways, Aaron claimed he was unaware that any of this happened untill he got to San Fran sick by backpacking, he claimed that was there neXT stop, all in all aaron claimed that he believed sarah was on drugs, and said she was always paranoid as if someone where after her and talked and acted as if someone was out to get her.

Jorundr
Guest
Jorundr
1 year ago
Reply to  Cole

Accurate to my experience with Sarah.. she was a bit loopy on drugs and suicidal and used that to keep control of her boyfriends.. she did it to several of my friends also.. like I stayed above she used to be one of my very close friends and when her and I started dating I realized she had a lot of things that needed fixed mentally and emotionally and after years kf dealing with her threats and getting me into sketchy situations I parted ways. She was bad on drugs and drinking.. and was very suicidal or at least ways threatened it..

Brian Andrews
Guest
Brian Andrews
6 years ago

In memory of Sarah Anne Walsh R.I.P