Karen Bodine

A young mother of 3 is found murdered and posed outside of Olympia, WA\n
Karen Bodine was a vivacious and fun-loving mother of three who spent her entire life in the Olympia, Washington, area. Remembered by her family as someone who could make others laugh even on their darkest days, she was a supportive and caring person who would always show up for the people she loved. Her cousin recalled how they were raised like sisters. Karen’s children were her world, and she made a point to attend nearly every one of their events, even if it meant walking in the cold or rain. The 37-year-old White female had short, spiky, pink-tinted blonde hair and a thin build. Her loved ones remember her as a good person who always greeted people with a smile.

On January 22, 2007, Karen’s life was tragically cut short. A passing motorist discovered her body at the entrance to a gravel pit off Littlerock Road Southwest, just north of Rochester, Washington. The area was known locally as a place where people would illegally dump debris and abandon stolen cars. Karen was found nude, posed on her back with her head resting on a discarded car seat as if it were a pillow. An autopsy later determined that she had been strangled to death. In the days before her murder, Karen had been facing personal difficulties and was staying with a friend after a domestic dispute. She was last seen alive in the early morning hours of January 22 at a home in Thurston County. The day before, a Lacey police officer had performed a welfare check on her after she was seen walking without a jacket in the cold, but she had assured the officer she was fine.

The investigation into Karen’s homicide was launched by the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office. Detectives found suspicious markings on her body and collected evidence from the scene, including a ligature that contained a mixture of DNA. An hour before her body was found, a witness reported seeing an early 1980s Datsun at the gravel pit entrance, but the vehicle was gone by the time another driver stopped and found Karen. Over the years, the case has been handled by several different detectives, and while a few individuals have been described as persons of interest, no arrests have ever been made.

The case has remained a painful and frustrating open wound for Karen’s family and for the investigators who have worked on it. Her children, who were 18, 15, and 12 when she was killed, have been relentless in their fight for justice. They believe that early media coverage, which they feel inaccurately portrayed their mother, and her association with people involved with drugs may have negatively impacted the initial stages of the investigation. For nearly two decades, they have worked to keep her memory alive and her case in the public eye through annual candlelight vigils, social media pages, billboards, and public awareness events. Her eldest daughter, Karlee, has noted the painful milestone of living as many years without her mother as she did with her.

Despite the passage of time, the investigation continues. The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office has consistently stated that the case has not been forgotten. In 2023, Sheriff Derek Sanders committed to meeting quarterly with Karen’s family to provide updates. That same year, evidence from the crime scene was sent to the Washington State Crime Lab for advanced forensic testing. A new two-person cold case unit was also established, giving new hope to cases like Karen's. Detectives who worked the case from the beginning, alongside those newly assigned, continue to pursue active leads and explore how new technologies can be applied.

As of January 2026, Karen Bodine’s murder remains unsolved. At a vigil marking the 19th anniversary of her death, investigators reiterated their commitment to finding answers. "Maybe this will be the year that we get that piece of evidence, that vital piece, to give the family the peace they deserve," said one detective. The family continues to hold onto hope that someone who knows something will finally come forward. "They could be in line behind you at Safeway getting milk," Karlee Bodine said of the person or people responsible. "There’s a killer walking around, and that’s not okay."

The Thurston County Sheriff's Office urges anyone with information about the murder of Karen Bodine, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to contact them. Tips can be sent to the cold case unit at [email protected] or by calling Detective Mickey Hamilton at 360-786-5279. The family continues their public advocacy, ensuring their mother is remembered as the person she was, not just as a victim.