Woman found dead in West Central van identified

The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the woman found dead in a parked van in West Central Spokane as Margaret Placeres, 54.

It’s not clear how Placeres died, or when. A neighbor noticed her body in the van’s front passenger seat Saturday morning near the intersection of West College Avenue and North Chestnut Street.

Spokane police said Placeres’ body showed signs of decay. “She wasn’t found for at least 24 hours,” said police spokeswoman Officer Teresa Fuller.

The incident is still under investigation. The Medical Examiner’s Office will try to determine the cause of death after conducting a toxicology test.