Nearly a year after she was last seen, the remains of Shannon Marie Caslin Reeder were found in a suitcase near a homeless encampment in Seattle, Washington. Reeder, 37, was last seen in November 2023. Her body was discovered on September 27, 2024, by volunteers conducting a cleanup at Dr. Jose Rizal Park, a location frequently associated with homeless individuals.
The gruesome discovery was prompted by a nearby shooting that led authorities to clear out the encampment days earlier. When cleanup crews encountered a strong odor, they found a large suitcase containing Reeder’s body in the trash. According to Tim Emerson, director of We Heart Seattle, a local homeless outreach group, the situation was appalling. “It was absolutely one of the most heinous, disgusting things that I’ve ever heard,” he said. “It’s hard to believe that a human being could do something like that to another human.”
Reeder had been known to frequent the area. The Washington State Patrol (WSP) indicated that detectives are working to create a timeline of her final months. The news of her death deeply shook Reeder’s family and friends. Caitlyn Andrews, a close friend, described Reeder as “silly, spontaneous, and carefree,” emphasizing how “she was loved and known by many people.”
In the days before the discovery, a shooting occurred near the encampment, raising additional safety concerns in the area. Emerson, as a local news outlet reported, noted that incidents like this are unfortunately frequent. He emphasized the importance of staying vigilant, being cautious about one’s surroundings, and knowing when to avoid potentially dangerous situations.
Reeder’s remains have been transferred to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office for further investigation. As of now, it remains unclear if she died at the site where her body was found or elsewhere.
The WSP encourages anyone with any information to contact Detectives John Ford or Ivan Sergeev.
