Woman found in lake may have been murdered

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - A partially clad, middle-aged woman, whose body was found near the shore of Timber Cove on Thursday morning, may have been murdered, according to South Lake Tahoe police Lt. Marty Hale.

The cause of death is unknown, but the investigation is being treated as a homicide. An autopsy is scheduled for this morning.

The woman is described around 5-foot, 6-inches tall, in her 40s or early 50s, with sandy-colored, shoulder-length hair.

The direction of the current made Hale believe the woman may have drifted from the lake's east shore.

A coat found in the afternoon may provide the information needed to identify the woman, but Hale said the woman's name won't be released until her family is notified.

Although Lake Tahoe has frigid temperatures preventing decomposition, Hale said there was little indication the body was in the lake for long.

The body was found near Timber Cove Beach, about a mile west of Stateline. She was spotted by a man walking his dog along the beach and reported to authorities at 7:59 a.m.

Hale said officers contacted law enforcement agencies around the lake to determine if anyone matching the woman's description was reported missing.

"Unfortunately, nobody matching that description has come up," he said.

In addition, several media outlets have been notified in hopes someone will have information on the woman's identity, Hale said.

A detective contacted the U.S. Coast Guard to determine the wind speed and current direction in case the woman was swept from a different location along the lake.

A Coast Guard petty officer reported the lake's surface temperature at 40 degrees Thursday morning while winds coming from the east blowing west were sustained at 20 mph with gusts of more than 30 mph.

Anyone with information regarding the woman can contact the South Lake Tahoe Police Department at (530) 542-6100.