She And Her Daughter Went On A Hike And Were Later Found In Remote Clearing Shot In Their Heads

In July 2006, a 56-year-old woman from Seattle named Mary Cooper and her 27-year-old daughter, Susanna Stodden, set out for a hike along the Pinnacle Lake Trail off the Mountain Loop Highway in Snohomish County.

Later that day, their bodies were discovered by hikers in a remote clearing at the end of the trail. The mother and daughter were both shot in the head.

It has been 20 years since they were killed, but the case remains unsolved. No arrests have been made, and the identity of the murderer is unclear.

On the morning of July 11, 2006, Mary and Susanna left their home in Green Lake to hike up to Pinnacle Lake. They had originally planned to explore Mount Pilchuck, but decided to change course when they realized there was still snow on the trail.

At the trailhead of a nearby trail, they stopped to talk to some strangers about their change in plans. The trail they took at the start of their hike was remote and difficult to access. As a result, no actual witnesses were around when they were killed.

Two days after the murders, someone who identified themselves as "Witness" made a post on a popular online forum.

It read, "My wife and I were the last normal people to see Mary and Susanna alive. They and we arrived at the trailhead at the same time, and we had a pleasant conversation with them before we headed up the trail."

According to investigators, the attack appeared to have been calculated. There were no signs of robbery or assault. They recovered shell casings from the scene of the crime, which helped with identifying the make and model of the gun.

During Susanna's autopsy, partial DNA from a male was found, although the evidence has not yet led to a suspect.

Snohomish County Sheriff's Office - pictured above are Mary and Susanna

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David Stodden, Mary's husband and Susanna's father, was considered a person of interest at the beginning of the investigation. In 2018, he was cleared as a suspect after completing his third polygraph test. Detectives hope that advancements in DNA testing will help uncover new information about the case.

Mary and David were married for 28 years and raised three daughters together. Susanna was the oldest daughter. Mary and Susanna were both described by family and friends as kind and adventurous women. They were not the type of people who made enemies.

Mary was an elementary school librarian, and Susanna was about to start a teaching internship at a private school. They had a shared interest in nature and hiking. The family had hiked or camped in the mountain region many times, so they were familiar with the area.

Anyone with information about the murders of Mary Cooper and Susanna Stodden is urged to contact the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office at 425-388-3845.