A morning runner discovered a woman fatally stabbed outside her vehicle near a popular trail area in an affluent Northern Virginia neighborhood outside Washington, D.C., Monday, according to police.
Police said the parking area leads to several trails used by people to hike, walk and enjoy the Great Falls area in McLean. Police identified the exact location as the parking lot of Difficult Run Park.
McLean, located just outside Washington, D.C., is one of Northern Virginia's most affluent communities, sitting just outside Washington. The median household income tops $250,000, while the median owner-occupied home is valued at more than $1.4 million, according to the following up on leads Monday, but authorities had not publicly identified a suspect or released a description.
"There is no immediate indication that this was a random act," Chandler said.
Chandler repeated that assessment when asked whether nearby residents should be concerned.
Police said an autopsy will be conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine Puch's cause and manner of death. Authorities have not said why Puch was at the park.
Investigators were working to determine how long Puch had been there and whether she arrived alone, Chandler said.
Detectives were also canvassing the surrounding area for surveillance cameras and seeking video from nearby community members as they worked to piece together what happened.
Police are asking anyone who saw anything suspicious around the time of the discovery to contact authorities at 1-866-411-TIPS.
Victim specialists with the department's Major Crimes Bureau have been assigned to assist Puch's family, police said.