Student's death at Lake Shasta an apparent suicide, sheriff says

Bakersfield Californian ^ | 5/16/05 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

SHASTA LAKE, Calif. (AP) - An autopsy of a college student found dead at Lake Shasta last week indicates that she hanged herself, Shasta County Sheriff Jim Pope said Monday.

Gina Zalunardo, 22, of Redmond, Ore., apparently committed suicide after she disappeared May 7 following an argument with her boyfriend at Slaughterhouse Island on Lake Shasta, Pope said.

"The evidence from the scene was the indication of that," Pope said.

Toxicology reports are pending.

Zalunardo, a junior at Oregon State University, was staying on a houseboat with members of her sorority over the Mother's Day weekend. The boat, which was tied up at Slaughterhouse Island, was one of about 30 rented by Oregon State University students for an annual gathering that attracts hundreds of people.

Zalunardo's boyfriend and others told authorities they spent several hours trying to find her after she disappeared but gave up because they thought she had gone to sleep on another houseboat. They contacted the sheriff's department the next morning when she didn't turn up.

Her body was found Thursday, about 300 yards from where she was last seen.

The young woman's parents have been notified of her apparent cause of death, Pope said.

[Pyro7480]

Did she have a history of depression?

[martin_fierro]

That's her on the right. Sad.

[Nam Vet]

Hanged herself? Now that sure sounds odd to me. Hanged herself on manzanita bushes?

Nam Vet

[martin_fierro]

She sounded like a real motivated gal:

Cindy Zalunardo described Gina as independent and capable of handling herself in the outdoors.
Her daughter has spent the past four seasons fighting fires for the Ochoco National Forest in central Oregon. She was recently training for a job on the Union Hotshot Crew in La Grande, Ore., Cindy Zalunardo said.
Gina Zalunardo runs 10 miles a day, hikes with weighted packs and is a strong swimmer, her mother said.

[BBell]

Sounds suspicious to me.

[NormsRevenge]

Did she have a history of depression?

----

I don't recall seeing any reports of depression.

Maybe she was, however, after having words with her boyfriend that evening of her disappearance, which seemed to be an all too frequent part of their 'relationship'.

[Xenalyte]

This is what happens when seven girls split three shirts.

[Uncle Hal]

This is weird. As I recall she had a fight with her boyfriend late at night and she disappeared. They were on a houseboat parked on Lake Shasta moored on an island. There were a 1000 or so students their from Oregon State. So she goes out and hangs herself in the middle of the night. Did she carry a robe in her back pocket? Something does not add up. Maybe the news show will clear it up tonight.

[Pyro7480]

LOL! Women's fashion sucks these days (though some salacious characters must like it).

[agooga]

With a name like "slaughterhouse Island" have they ruled out Jason, Michael or Freddy Krueger?

[foolscap]

LOL! Women's fashion sucks these days

Yes it does