Cathleen Elise Kochheiser, 62, was shot and killed on April 24, 2025, in a secluded area of Capitol State Forest in Thurston County, Washington. She was with a companion when she sustained a gunshot wound to her lower chest. Because cellphone reception was poor at their location, the companion drove to a spot with service to call for help. First responders found Cathleen alive but she died before she could be airlifted to a hospital.

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office is treating the death as suspicious and investigating it as a potential homicide. The person who was with Cathleen has been described as only somewhat cooperative; no arrests or publicly identified suspects have been announced.

Cathleen, known to loved ones as Elise, was an award-winning preschool teacher and an active volunteer in ministries supporting single mothers and efforts against hunger and homelessness. She loved gardening, dogs, horses, and photographing wildflowers. Does anyone who knew Elise or who was in Capitol State Forest on April 24 have information that could help investigators?