Authorities say the death of Joanna Ruth Shields, a 37-year-old hiker from California, has been explained after her body was found near Sykes Hot Springs in Big Sur. Multiple reports state that Monterey County investigators have determined the cause of death as probable alcohol withdrawal seizures. The reports describe Shields as having died on or near a remote trail area in Big Sur, an area in Monterey County. The case had previously been described as mysterious, but investigators now provide a specific medical cause, linking her death to seizures consistent with alcohol withdrawal. While the descriptions note the death occurred near Sykes Hot Springs, no additional details about her broader medical history or the circumstances leading to the withdrawal are included in the sources provided. The reports emphasize the investigators’ confirmation of the cause of death and move the case from unresolved to clarified.