Chandra Levy, the Congress intern whose disappearance last summer was widely publicized, was murdered, although investigators do not know exactly how she died, the medical examiner for the District of Columbia said today.
"The cause of death has been qualified as undetermined, the manner of death as homicide. ... She died through the actions of another person," Dr Jonathan Arden told a news conference.
The 24-year-old's body was found last week in a remote area of Washington's Rock Creek Park, more than a year after she went missing. Thousands of people disappear in the United States each year but her case drew national attention because of Levy's relationship with US Rep. Gary Condit.
The California congressman has not divulged publicly how close their relationship was, but he lost a primary bid for re-election earlier this year, in part because of a perception he had not told everything he knew and might have hindered the investigation.
Ms Levy's family, who have repeatedly said they believe their daughter was murdered, are set to hold a memorial service later today.