Northern Minnesota woman's body discovered in ditch; suspicious death investigation underway

Officials in northern Minnesota say the death of a woman whose body was found in a ditch Thursday is being investigated as suspicious. 

According to the Itasca County Sheriff's Office, the woman was discovered shortly before 7 p.m. along County Road 39 near Deer River, Minnesota. 

The woman, identified by officials as 37-year-old Rikki Skog, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The sheriff's office says that the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was requested to assist in the investigation "due to the circumstances surrounding the incident." The investigation is ongoing. 

Anyone who may have seen Skog on or after Wednesday, or has other information that may be helpful in the investigation, is asked to contact the sheriff's office at 218-326-3477 and select option 1.

The Deer River Police Department, Leech Lake Tribal Police and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources also assisted the sheriff's office.