Woman’s Body Found in Missoula Irrigation Waterway

MISSOULA, MT — Missoula police are investigating the death of a 38-year-old woman whose body was discovered Tuesday in an irrigation waterway near Grant Street and South 6th Street West, just one mile north of the recently closed Johnson Street Emergency Shelter.

The Missoula Police Department confirmed that patrol officers and detectives responded to the scene on September 3, with the body subsequently transported to the Montana State Crime Lab. A positive identification has been made, and the victim’s name will be released by the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office following next-of-kin notification.

“The circumstances surrounding her death remain under active investigation,” the department stated in a Facebook post Wednesday. “Detectives are working to determine the cause of death by gathering information, canvassing the area, conducting interviews, and coordinating with the State Medical Examiner’s Office.”

The discovery occurred in an area that has seen significant changes following the closure of the Johnson Street Shelter in August. The emergency shelter, which operated as a pandemic response measure, was permanently closed after the city exhausted federal emergency funding.

During the shelter’s operation, the surrounding area experienced what critics described as extensive encampments stretching along nearby train tracks, with reports of drug use, theft, and violence. Samuel Pascal Redfern, CEO of the Montana Veterans Association, previously described “a mile and a half of encampments surrounding the Johnson Center” before its closure.

The warehouse shelter housed hundreds of individuals, many from out of state, according to community leaders who documented safety concerns in the area.

Investigation Procedures

Police emphasized their thorough investigative approach in handling the case.

“As part of our standard investigative practice, the Missoula Police Department treats all unattended deaths with the same thoroughness as a homicide investigation until evidence proves otherwise,” the department explained. “This approach ensures that every possible avenue is examined and that the cause and circumstances of the death are determined to the fullest extent possible.”

The investigation includes canvassing the area around the irrigation waterway, conducting interviews with potential witnesses, and coordinating with the State Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death.

Public Information Request

Anyone with information about the case who has not yet spoken with law enforcement is asked to contact the Missoula Police Department at (406) 552-6300, referencing case number 2025-38563.

The department has not released additional details about the circumstances of the discovery or any preliminary findings from the scene investigation.