Rescuers in training discover body of hiker missing for months, Vermont cops say
The body of a hiker missing for months was found during a search and rescue training exercise, Vermont police said.
The body is “believed to be that of missing hiker Sue Mi Ko,” a 51-year-old from Craftsbury who vanished on a hike in January near the Mount Pisgah trailhead, Vermont State Police said in a news release.
Search and rescue crews using dogs found her body several hundred yards from the trailhead during the April 30 training near Lake Willoughby in Westmore, officials said.
A rescue dog located the hiker’s body, North Country Search Dogs said in a post on Facebook.
“The find was made by Radar, our striking black German Shepherd. He worked hard yesterday and delivered the result we have all been hoping for, making the find and then coming back to tell his handler, Katie,” the organization said in the May 1 post. “A find like this is the result of countless hours of training and we commend Radar and Katie for their dedication.”
Photos show the dog and his handler during a search and rescue exercise. The organization had been searching for Ko for months, according to the post.
“She has been on everyone’s minds in the North East Kingdom since search efforts were hampered and delayed by difficult terrain and high snowpack,” the organization said. “North Country Search Dogs has been very invested in this search — this was the third time our dogs were deployed to look for Sue Mi and we’ve been impatiently waiting for the snow to melt so we could get back out there.”
The organization searched alongside the Vermont State Police search and rescue team’s training exercise.
“We’re so proud and honored to provide some closure for Sue Mi’s family, who have been through the agony of unknowing and can now begin the next stage of the grieving process,” the organization said. “Our thoughts are with them.”
The Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of her death, and there are no signs of foul play or indications that the incident is suspicious, officials said.
Mount Pisgah is about a 30-mile drive northeast from Craftsbury and about a 60-mile drive northeast from Montpelier.
This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 12:30 PM with the headline "Rescuers in training discover body of hiker missing for months, Vermont cops say."
