STEVENS PASS — A missing woman’s car with a body inside was found Saturday evening, about 150 feet down a steep embankment off U.S. 2.
State transportation crews working on westbound U.S. 2 about 3:30 p.m. noticed the car surrounded by snow off the roadway at mile marker 63, about two miles west of the summit, Washington State Patrol trooper Brandon Lee said.
Investigators say the car belongs to Connie Koch, 62, who has been missing from her Lake Stevens home since March 26.
The day she went missing, Koch sent a text message to her sister in California — “Look at Stevens Pass.”
Rescue crews and dozens of friends searched the area in the days that followed.
A medical examiner will identify the body found inside the car, Lee said.
State Patrol detectives and Lake Stevens police were investigating at the scene Saturday night, Lake Stevens Police Chief Randy Celori said. The body found inside the car is a woman’s, he said.
Koch was preparing to fly to Texas to get medical treatment for a condition that made her extremely sensitive to smells. Her family believes she instead drove away in her white 2005 Toyota Corolla.
Because of her problem, Koch couldn’t stand the idea of being surrounded by smells on the plane. She was also suffering from headaches and increased anxiety.
Koch has worked in the Lake Stevens School District since 1988. She is a science teacher.
“It’s difficult for any family that goes through an ordeal like this,” said Celori, the Lake Stevens police chief.
Heavy snowfall and not knowing where exactly to look made it difficult for rescuers, he said. But they didn’t give up on Koch. Police were planning to arrange soon for a helicopter to go looking for her.
“After a while, there was only so much you could do,” Celori said.
Lake Stevens officials reached out to police around the region to help look for Koch. They monitored local airports and checked for activity on her cell phone and credit card.
Koch’s family set up a Web site at http://findconniemarie.blogspot.com to keep the community updated.
Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452, kyefimova@heraldnet.com.
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