Autopsy confirms woman's death caused by gunshot

YAKIMA, Wash. — An autopsy confirmed that a woman died Wednesday on Interstate 82 from a gunshot wound to the head.

The death of Sheryl Huntley, who was reportedly shot by a hitchhiker, was ruled a homicide today by Yakima County Coroner Jack Hawkins.

Huntley’s common-law husband, Stephen Harwood, reported that the pair picked up a hitchhiker about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday north of Selah. The pair struggled with the man after he robbed them. Harwood, 34, said the hitchhiker fired several shots, hitting him in the hand and Huntley in the head.

Huntley died after being taken off life support Wednesday afternoon at Yakima Regional Medical and Cardiac Center. Huntley, 40, had lived in Yakima and still has relatives here. She is survived by two sons with a former husband, a sister and her mother.

She and Harwood were traveling from their home in Thompson Falls, Mont., to Yakima to return with a niece in Montana.

No other major developments were reported today in the continuing investigation.

-- Erin Snelgrove