Coroner calls I-82 death a homicide

An autopsy has 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 Friday 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, he told officials. 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 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 pick up a niece and return to Montana.

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