Death of Daiichi Sankyo Sales Rep Tracy Hottenstein Remains Unexplained

(MoneyWatch)  Sea Isle City residents have been spooked by the unexplained death of Daiichi Sankyo sales rep Tracy Hottenstein in February.

Hottenstein, 35, had been in the Jersey Shore town for the annual Polar Bear Plunge festival, where thousands watch as participants jump into the frigid Ocean. She left the Ocean Drive bar at 2.15 a.m. on Feb. 15, according to the Philly Daily News:

Sources tell the Daily News that Hottenstein, 35, did not drown that morning, but the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office will not release an official cause and manner of death until toxicology results come back.

... A passer-by found Hottenstein about six hours later, still dressed in the pink-plaid hat, pink scarf, black vest, jeans and tan Ugg boots she had on the night before. New Jersey State Police divers searched the surrounding waters in the days that followed and found evidence, but Taylor would not elaborate on what that evidence was.

Her body was found on the bank of a back bay in the area.

Friends of the Conshohocken, Pa., woman have started a FaceBook page to gather information that may lead to clues about her death.

Meanwhile, suspicion is creeping in to the vacuum created by officials who have released little information about her death, including how she was killed. The Cape May County Herald:

"It is a disservice to the women of this county, whether it's suspicious or not," said [Teresa] Downey [a local]. "It allows speculation to be fueled, in part, by the prosecutor's decision not to characterize this (Hottenstein's death) as suspicious. It places the responsibility on her for her death," she stated.

Downey is calling for the county to launch an independent investigation of Hottenstein's death. The county has declined.

Four other women have been killed in the area in unexplained circumstances since 1970.

Hat tip to InternetDrugNews.com.