A man whose body was discovered Thursday afternoon in northern Skamania County died of homicidal violence, an autopsy conducted Saturday found.
Skamania County sheriff’s deputies responded around 2:15 p.m. Thursday to a call about “suspicious circumstances” on National Forest Road 83, near the junction with National Forest Road 90, about 7 miles east of Cougar. There, they found a dead person.
Investigators have identified the deceased man but are withholding his name until next of kin can be located and notified, according to a Monday news release from the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office.
The sheriff’s office says it doesn’t believe there’s any danger or threat to recreationists visiting the Ape Cave or other sites in the area, the news release states.
Anyone who was in the area of Ape Cave and Marble Mountain, which provides access to a Mount St. Helens climbing route, on Wednesday and saw any suspicious activity should contact detectives with the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office at 509-427-9490.
