Mountlake Terrace woman drowned, had plastic bag over her head

More than a month after her body was discovered near her abandoned car, authorities have determined Cheryl DeBoer, of Mountlake Terrace, drowned with a plastic bag over her head.

Related: Death of Mountlake Terrace woman now investigated as a homicide

The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office has determined that DeBoer died from asphyxia due to a plastic bag over her head, as well as drowning in fresh water.

While the cause of death has been determined, the “manner of death remains unknown.” The manner of death is the label of “homicide,” “suicide,” “accidental,” etc. Police had previously investigated the incident as a homicide. But that appears to have changed.

“At this point in the investigation, there is nothing to suggest DeBoer’s death was the result of an act of homicidal violence,” Police Chief Greg Wilson said Monday.

DeBoer, 53, went missing in early February. A week after she went missing, a volunteer search group found DeBoer’s body in a culvert.

Police later announced that blood stains were found in her abandoned car, and that it appeared she had self-inflicted cuts on her fingers.

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