WOOD COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The Wood County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a woman found in a wooded area near Lakeview Center on January 14, 2025.
Deputies and other first responders were dispatched to the scene around 11:00 a.m. after a 911 call from a man living in the area.
The caller, Josiah Renn, originally from Pennsylvania and currently homeless, reported that his partner, 37-year-old Danielle Johnson, was unresponsive.
Ms. Johnson, who was previously from Missouri, was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to a preliminary investigation, Mr. Renn told deputies that he and Ms. Johnson had been partners for over eight years and were sharing a makeshift shelter in the wooded area.
He stated that the two consumed a large amount of alcohol the night before. Around 1:00 a.m., he woke up to find Ms. Johnson missing.
Mr. Renn said he found Ms. Johnson outside lying in the snow, too intoxicated to return to the shelter on her own. He assisted her back inside to warm up, and the two went back to bed.
When Mr. Renn woke up later in the morning, he discovered Ms. Johnson unresponsive and called 911.
Deputies reported that there were no immediate signs of foul play.
However, they noted that alcohol consumption and cold weather likely contributed to Ms. Johnson’s death. The shelter lacked a heat source, though blankets and other items were found inside.
Ms. Johnson’s body has been transported to the West Virginia State Medical Examiner’s Office for further examination. The investigation remains ongoing.
