Alaska News

Missing Juneau woman found dead after days-long search, police say

A 78-year-old woman who went missing early last week was found dead Friday in Juneau, police said.

Foul play was not suspected in Geraldine Nelson’s death, the Juneau Police Department wrote in an online statement.

Nelson was reported missing from her home on the 5900 block of Churchill Way on May 16, police said. Nelson “has a history of leaving her residence and walking throughout Juneau,” police wrote.

Police searched throughout the night alongside Nelson’s family and friends on May 16, but she was not located, the department said.

On Monday, the Alaska State Troopers initiated a search with the nonprofit group Southeast Alaska Dogs Organized for Ground Search, police said. The U.S. Coast Guard searched by helicopter and troopers issued a Silver Alert. The Juneau Mountain Rescue, Tlingit and Haida employees and local volunteers also helped search.

Search efforts continued throughout the week. A search and rescue dog located Nelson’s body about 100 yards from the Switzer Creek Trail on Friday around 2:15 p.m., police said.

“The cause of death does not appear to be suspicious as this time,” police wrote Saturday.

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