Missing woman found dead in Sprague backyard died of hypothermia while on drug

A 26-year-old missing woman who was found dead last month in the backyard of a Sprague residence died from "hypothermia in the setting of methamphetamine intoxication," according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office and confirmed by Lincoln County Coroner Ashley Smith.

Before Aspen Valdez's body was found March 3, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office reported she was last seen traveling with family on Feb. 26 from St. John, Washington, to Yakima. Valdez got out of the vehicle on state Route 23 near Sprague saying she wanted to go to Spokane and took off on foot. She was carrying a purse and cell phone.

Deputies responded to the backyard where she was found after the resident reported the body to the sheriff's office, according to a previous sheriff's office news release.

The sheriff's office wrote on its Facebook page this week that it received the autopsy report from the Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office, which listed Valdez's cause of death. Smith confirmed the cause Thursday to The Spokesman-Review.

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