Snakebite, heatstroke or something more sinister? Mystery surrounds how a fit and healthy mother-of-two, 36, died on a run through the outback
- Felicity Shadbolt, 36, disappeared on Sunday during a run near Tom Price, WA
- Her body was discovered on Wednesday night 400m from the walking track
- Police are still unsure of how she died due to decomposition of the body
- All explanations including murder are still possible as homicide cops investigate
A super-fit mother-of-two who suddenly died alone on a remote mountain during a bushwalk may have been killed by a deadly snake.
Felicity Shadbolt, 36, disappeared on Sunday after going for a run on Mount Nameless, near Tom Price in Western Australia's Pilbara region.
Her body was found hidden in scrub 400m off the path about 7pm on Wednesday and mystery still surrounds what took her life.
Ms Shadbolt (pictured with her twin girls Macie and Harper) disappeared on Sunday after going for a run in the bush near her home
Ms Shadbolt leaves behind her husband Drew and their two twin daughters after they moved to Tom Price in Western Australia's Pilbara region three years ago
Police said on Friday that they were investigating a range of possibilities at to her death including a medical episode, accident, or even foul play.
Superintendent Paul Coombes said it was less likely Ms Shadbolt was murdered, but because the body had undergone days of decomposition, nothing could be ruled out.
He said it was more likely she suffered from heatstroke on the 46C day or was bitten by venomous snakes that plague the scrubs she was walking through.
'All the indicators are pointing in that direction but we can't be sure until after the post mortem because of the condition and location of Felicity's body,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
'There's nothing obvious that presented at the scene that caused us [to believe Ms Shadbolt was murdered].'
The mother-of-two's body was found about 7pm on Wednesday 400m from off the walking path after a frantic search by dozens of volunteers in 46C heat
Ms Shadbolt with her two daughters at the beach in Exmouth at Christmas where they holidayed with close friends
Ms Shadbolt's father David Dick questioned how his daughter, who was in such good shape that she ran Tough Mudder and Spartan races, could die from heatstroke.
'She's incredibly fit and had two litres of water with her so it's hard to tell what happened,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
However, he hoped her death would be confirmed to be the result of the elements or a snake bite, not murder.
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'The would make it easier for us to deal with, knowing that she wasn't abused or tortured and there's no killer on the loose to hurt someone else,' he said.
'[Dying from heatstroke or a snake] could happen to anyone, it's just damn bad luck to happen to my beautiful daughter.
'It would take a lot of the anger out of it too - you can't be angry at a snake.'
About 35 people had been involved in a ground search including police, SES and members of the local community in the early hours of Tuesday
Ms Shadbolt may have died from a snake bite as deadly breeds like this death adder slither through the scrub she was walking through on Mount Nameless
Superintendent Coombes said a snakebite was 'definitely a possibility' that detectives and the medical examiner would explore.
'There are are an lot of venomous snakes in and around Tom Price and on Mount Nameless,' he said.
Local snake catcher Tim Salmon said deadly western brown, mulga, and death adder snakes were common in the scrubland around the mountain tracks.
However, he said though sightings were common, he couldn't recall someone being bitten walking there because locals knew how to avoid them.
Heartbroken father David Dick (right) has recalled the moment he found out his daughter Felicity Shadbolt, 36, (left) had died while bushwalking on a remote mountain
Mr Dick, pictured walking Ms Shadbolt down the aisle at her wedding in October 2009, hoped her death would be confirmed to be the result of the elements or a snakebite, not murder
Friends and family send condolences to her husband Drew (right) who she married in October 2009
Superintendent Coombes declined to comment on how much Ms Shadbolt drank of her two-litre CamelBak hydration pack.
He said the bag was being forensically examined and was key to the investigation into her cause of death.
Ms Shadbolt sent her husband Drew a text about 12.50pm on Sunday saying she'd be home in 20 minutes. She never made it.
The main track to the summit of Mount Nameless for a breathtaking view of the landscape and Rio Tinto iron ore mine is 4.5km and takes three hours.
Ms Shadbolt regularly ran the numerous trails around Mount Nameless, knowing them well, and was in such good shape she competed in Tough Mudder and Spartan races (pictured)
All explanations of Ms Shdbolt's death including a medical episode, accident, or murder are still on the table as homicide police flew in to the outback mining town to investigate
Her car was found parked in a car park at the base of the mountain soon after her disappearance, but she was nowhere to be found.
Police said she was wearing an Apple watch for her run, but it was not connected to the internet and so couldn't be used to trace her movements.
Dozens of locals volunteered to help SES crews and police scour the area in scorching heat in an effort to find her, and one eventually did.
Ms Shadbolt's body will be transported to Port Headland then to Perth for a post-mortem that will hopefully determine her cause of death.
Felicity Shadbolt, 36, disappeared on Sunday after going for a run on Mount Nameless, near Tom Price in Western Australia's Pilbara region
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