KLICKITAT COUNTY, Wash. — More than nine months after a woman was found dead in a Klickitat County creek, attorneys for family members said the investigation have been insufficient.
31-year-old Hannah Walker was found floating in a creek near Trout Lake by a patrol officer after a man who was with Walker reported her missing.
Initially, family members said a Klickitat County detective was investigating the case as a homicide, before the case became "inactive."
Unidentified DNA was found in several places on Walker’s body.
Attorneys for the family have characterized the investigation into Walker’s death as "bizarre." In a letter to the FBI, they wrote that the Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office investigation has not been urgent or transparent.
"We don't really know what happened yet," Hannah Walker’s mother Aia Walker said.
In a letter to the FBI asking for a federal investigation, attorneys said Walker was found naked in a creek, with abrasions and a large welt on her body.
At the time, Aia Walker said it appeared like her daughter’s death would be investigated thoroughly.
"Sheriff Songer at that time agreed that what we were showing him was definitely suspicious," Aia Walker said.
She said a detective was assigned to the case and told the family he planned to investigate Walker’s death as a homicide. But he was eventually reassigned to patrol.
"It's been a process of seeing how ineffective our system is," Aia Walker said.
Attorneys said in a press release there was very little evidence collected from the creek where Walker was found.
They claim the Sheriff’s Office did not conduct interviews with family, friends or associates of Hannah.
"Are they going to investigate? I mean DNA, you know, is pretty significant," Aia Walker said.
Klickitat County Sheriff Bob Songer did not respond to KGW’s interview requests.
Attorneys for the Walker family said law enforcement told the family it could take six to eight months to receive an autopsy report because of a backlog.
"It's really important to note that they have all the information showing probable foul play," Aia Walker said.