Clark County deputies are once again asking for help in solving the death of a woman whose body was discovered along state Highway 503 in Battle Ground six years ago.
Tatyana Tupikova went to see “Avengers” at the Battle Ground Cinema on May 9, 2012, carefully planning the walk from her home to the movie theater, according to a Clark County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post.
She watched the movie, but the 22-year-old did not come home that night, prompting her family to file a missing person report, deputies said.
Two days later, on May 11, 2012, a passer-by noticed a body in the ditch about 50 feet from the highway’s northbound lanes, between Main Street and Eaton Boulevard, which turned out to be Tupikova’s.
It appeared Tupikova had been struck by a vehicle. An autopsy by the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Tupikova died of blunt force trauma. Whoever hit the young woman with their car fled and did not offer help.
Detectives are holding out hope that someone saw a suspicious or out-of-place person or vehicle on the day of the deadly crash, noting that the highway is generally rumbling with cars and big rigs.
In the first year following Tupikova’s death, the sheriff’s office received numerous calls, interviewed several people and followed up on tips, but none of them led to anything. Detective Joe Swenson said that hasn’t changed over the past five years.
“All of the tips we’ve received, all are either easily debunked or there is nothing to indicate any sort of connection,” Swenson said.
Most information provided to investigators has been second- or third-hand rumors, Swenson said.
“I know there are people who have first-hand info about what happened, and that’s what we need,” he said.
“If you hold a missing link of truth regarding Tatyana’s case,” the sheriff’s office appealed, contact Swenson at joe.swenson@clark.wa.gov or 360-397-2044.
