A woman found dead in Presque Isle on Friday was walking a neighbor’s dog home the night that she died.
After leaving her residence behind the Townhouse Store Thursday night, 61-year-old Corinne Gerster did not return home.
Her body was found the next morning with some marks and injuries, and her clothing had been torn off.
Vilas County sheriff Joe Fath says the man she was living with is not under investigation.
“There’s a lot of unknowns, but it’s very clear that there was no crime committed. The cause of death is believed to be natural causes. She had some health issues. We believe and the pathologist believes that that’s what caused her to die.”
Authorities believe the dog tore Gerster’s clothes off while trying to move or revive her.
An autopsy revealed the marks and injuries on her body had been inflicted after she died.
It could be more a few months before toxicology tests come in that provide more detail about the precise cause of death.
Fath says the exact time of death is unknown.
“I mean there was a long time between when she left the residence and when she was discovered. I just don’t have really good information on what exactly happened and what the timeline was.”
The dog meanwhile found its way home sometime between 10 pm and 1 am.
There was no leash found on the scene.
