25-year-old Kennewick woman’s death remains a mystery. Autopsy planned

An autopsy is planned Monday afternoon to help determine the cause of death of a woman found early Saturday inside her home.

Tessa West, 25, was discovered by her roommate and may have died several days earlier, according to Kennewick police.

The Benton County Coroner’s Office initially was not sure if it would do a complete autopsy since officials didn’t have enough information on West to know her medical history.

“In the end we know a lot more now, so we are going to be doing an autopsy,” Coroner Bill Leach told the Tri-City Herald.

Dr. Sig Menchel, a forensic pathologist from Bellevue, will perform the autopsy.

Leach said he could not divulge if there were signs of trauma, in part because he is not the one who responded Saturday from his office.

However, he added that after reviewing photographs there are no obvious wounds.

“It’s just an unusual type thing so we want to make sure all of our ducks are in a row,” Leach said. Additionally, the office is continuing to collect West’s medical records.

Kennewick police said over the weekend that there are suspicious circumstances surrounding West’s death.

They responded to her home in the 2600 block of West Sixth Avenue at 2:38 a.m. Saturday to find West not breathing.

Paramedics performed CPR but they could not revive her.

Investigators have been trying to find out what West — who was a waitress at The Pub — had been doing in recent weeks.

Her 2005 Jeep Liberty was later found a few blocks away on West Fourth Avenue.

Police are asking anyone with information about West or her Jeep to contact detectives through the non-emergency dispatch line at 509-628-9333. Callers should refer to Kennewick Police Department case 20-03370.