A young mother of 3 is found murdered and posed outside of Olympia, WA\n
A Caucasian female, Karen Bodine, a 37-year-old mother of three, was found deceased on January 22, 2007, at the entrance of a gravel pit off Littlerock Road Southwest in Rochester, Washington. A passing motorist discovered her nude body, which had been left in the open and posed with her head resting on a car seat. An investigation determined that she had been strangled to death, and ligature marks were found on her neck.
In the days leading up to her death, Bodine had been facing personal challenges. Following a domestic dispute, she had been evicted from her residence and was staying with a friend. She was last seen alive at a home in Thurston County in the early morning hours of January 22, 2007. A Lacey police officer had conducted a welfare check on her the day before her body was found, as she was seen walking without a jacket in the cold, but she assured the officer she was fine. An hour before her body was discovered, a witness reported seeing an early 1980s Datsun at the location, but the vehicle was gone by the time another driver found Bodine.
The investigation into Karen Bodine's murder has remained active over the years, though no arrests have been made. Investigators have identified several persons of interest, including the owner of the home where she was last seen alive. DNA evidence, specifically a mixture from a ligature found at the scene, was collected, and authorities have expressed hope that advancements in technology could help isolate profiles. The Thurston County Sheriff's Office has continued to pursue leads, and in 2024, they launched a dedicated two-person cold case unit to work on cases like Bodine's.
Despite the passage of time, Karen Bodine's family, particularly her daughters, have been relentless in their pursuit of justice, organizing vigils and utilizing social media and billboards to keep her case in the public eye. They feel that initial media coverage, which sometimes inaccurately portrayed her as transient, and her association with people involved in drug activity may have impacted the early stages of the investigation. The family continues to hope that someone with information will come forward to help solve the case that has haunted them for over a decade.
