MURDERED: Karen Bodine
In January of 2007, 37-year-old Karen Bodine was found at the entrance of an old, gravel quarry in Rochester, Washington—a small town an hour outside of Seattle.
A passing motorist discovered Karen’s nude body posed in a prone position with her head resting on a vehicle seat as if it were a pillow.
It’s been 16 years, and we still don’t know who killed Karen Bodine. In fact, the Lacey Sheriff's department isn’t any closer to finding the person or persons responsible than they were almost two decades ago. That’s because the investigation began with shoddy police work, and the media either printed misinformation about who Karen was or refused to cover it altogether.
Karen’s family hasn’t given up hope though. They continue to fight for justice every single day; they believe someone knows something and won’t stop until they know who’s responsible.
We spoke to Karen’s oldest child, Karlee, who was just 18 years old when her mother was murdered. She told us all about Karen’s life and her unsolved murder.
Family Portrait
Karen with her two daughters.
Justice for Karen
Daughter, Karlee, with portrait of her mother, Karen.
Location of Karen’s body
The top marker is the last location Karen was seen alive. She had been seen walking along the road in Lacey, WA. A passerby called the police asking for a welfare check for Karen. Karen then interacted with a police officer and then went on her way.
The bottom marker indicates the entrance to the gravel pit where Karen was found. The location is 4 miles north of US Hwy 12 at Rochester, less than a quarter of a mile from the north end of Sargent Road. The spot is popular for deer and ducking hunting but also a popular dumping ground for illegally dumped debris and stolen cars.
Roadside memorial
Memorial stands at the entrance to the gravel pit where Karen’s body was found.
Gravesite headstone
Billboard
Cold case awareness
Spreading awareness to help bring justice for Karen.
Additional Resources
Anyone with any information on the case is urged to contact Det. Mickey Hamilton at 360-786-5279.
Karen'sFacebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/JusticeForMyMom.KarenBodine/
Resources
https://karenbodine.com/
https://komonews.com/news/local/womans-body-found-in-gravel-pit
https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/crime/article247077672.html?fbclid=IwAR2cQi-ckIv-rGMVjzALYG9DyHiKJ8ebbeAZQ73VXDocKNYixt-XRqgZ6MQ
https://www.crimeonline.com/2020/10/22/a-mothers-dying-wish-what-happened-to-karen-bodine/
https://www.chronline.com/stories/event-to-bring-awareness-to-local-unsolved-cases-set-for-saturday,262708
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https://www.yelmonline.com/stories/honk-and-wave-event-raises-awareness-for-cold-cases-in-area,263354
https://www.q13fox.com/washingtons-most-wanted/who-killed-karen-bodine-the-vicious-murder-of-the-mother-of-three-remains-unsolved
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https://thecinemaholic.com/karen-bodine-murder-how-did-she-die-who-killed-her/
https://www.chronline.com/stories/vigil-marking-15-year-anniversary-of-thurston-county-womans-murder-scheduled-for-jan-22,281700
https://amp.theolympian.com/article237646739.html
https://www.chronline.com/stories/vigil-marks-15-years-since-the-unsolved-murder-of-karen-bodine,283224?
https://unsolved.com/podcasts/killing-karen/
https://www.chronline.com/stories/vigil-set-to-mark-16-years-since-unsolved-murder-of-thurston-county-woman,306774?
https://chronline.com/stories/vigil-marks-16th-anniversary-of-thurston-county-womans-murder,307781
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https://www.chronline.com/stories/thurston-county-cold-cases-get-increased-attention,314211
https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm
