Body of woman with gunshot wound found near Ellicott

The body of a woman who had been shot was found Monday next to a dirt road near Ellicott, El Paso County sheriff's investigators said.

An Ellicott school bus driver, with children in the bus, spotted the woman's body about 7:12 a.m. Monday on Book Drive and Milne Road just south of Colorado Highway 94 and east of Schriever Air Force Base.

The cause of death had not been determined Monday night but, "the female victim appears to have a gunshot wound," said sheriff's Lt. Lari Sevene.

Investigators believe the woman was killed where the body was found, Sevene said.

If the deathis ruled a homicide it will be the third this year in unincorporated El Paso County

Officials have yet to identify the woman, described as white or Hispanic and in her 30s. No arrests have been made.

Sevene said there were no missing person reports matching the description of the woman. She was fully clothed, but not dressed for cold weather.

"It doesn't appear she knew she was going to be outside, based on what she's wearing," Sevene said.

Investigators believe the body had been there for less than 24 hours, she said.

An autopsy is planned for Tuesday, according to an El Paso County Coroner's official.

"It was bizarre," said Martin Kiley, who lives just west of the scene on Book Drive. "With all the sheriff's cars down there, I just thought it was an accident or something."

John "Sparky" Eastlake, who lives about a quarter mile from where the body was found, told investigators he didn't hear or see anything strange Sunday night, but it was extremely foggy and visibility was poor.

"We know like 99 percent of the people around here, so we recognize cars and sounds," Eastlake said. "We all watch each other's houses."

And the sound of gunfire is not that unusual, he said, noting problems with coyotes.

Ellicott Schools Superintendent Terry Ebert said when the bus driver spotted what she believed to be a body, she drove past so the students wouldn't see it. There were about 16 students on the bus, ranging from elementary to high-school age.

Since the driver had no cell phone, she called another driver on the bus radio and that driver called 911. The first driver stayed near the scene to talk to investigators while another bus came to retrieve the students, he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's office dispatch at (719) 390-5555.