Earlier this week deputies with the SeaTac police were shocked and horrified to find a duffle bag containing the remains of a human body outside of the Abbey Ridge Apartments complex in SeaTac. Today the King County Sheriff’s Office has released the identity of the deceased.

The King County medical examiner has identified the body as that of 23-year-old Jenna K. Ferguson, a young woman from Payson, Utah.

According to the Sheriff’s Office Ferguson had come to Seattle as part of a church led rehabilitation program with Gethseman Ministries Church. She was last seen with the group around July 7 or 8 at which time she walked away from the program.

News outlets in Utah have begun reporting that Ferguson had a long history with substance abuse and run-ins with the law. According to court records in Utah Ferguson had prior convictions for theft, shoplifting and possession of a controlled substance.

Ferguson’s aunt, Cody Dame, released a statement to news outlets in Utah on Friday night stating:

“Jenna’s family is heartbroken. Jenna was a generous, tender, loving person who could make anyone laugh. We are touched by the tremendous love and outpourings of kindness we are receiving. Please respect our sorrow and privacy as we struggle through this very difficult time. An investigation is occurring. We have no new information at this time.”

According to the Seattle Times Ferguson left the program she was in while she was working a concession stand at Safeco Field for the non-profit “Canning Hunger”. Ferguson allegedly stole $180 from the cash register and ran away with a 22-year-old man she met while living in a group home. Detectives are actively looking for this person and other associates at this time.

From the state of decomposition that Ferguson was discovered in it is not believed that she was killed or died at the time she went missing. Her death is being treated as a homicide at this time but a drug-overdose remains an open possibility for cause of death.

On Monday, July 27, SeaTac police were contacted by a maintenance worker at the Abbey Ridge Apartments complex in SeaTac that he had found a duffle bag near a dumpster with human remains inside. When detectives arrived at the scene they retrieved the duffle bag and were unable to determine even the gender of the person inside at that time.

It is still unknown how long Ferguson’s remains were inside the duffle bag and near the dumpster of the complex. Given the trash pick-up schedules it is possible that the duffle bag had been there for almost a week by the time it was discovered.

Many news outlets have noted an eerie similarity between the discovery of Ferguson’s remains and a body that was found in a suitcase in Kent in May. The remains of the woman in that case have yet to be identified and the investigation remains open. It is believed that the victim in the Kent incident was between the ages of 50 to 60-years-old.

The Sheriff’s Office has stated that they do not believe there is any connection between the two deaths.

Detectives are still asking that anyone who recognizes Jenna’s photos or has any information regarding her whereabouts between July 7 and July 26 please contact them at 206-296-3311.