Scientist Found in Bunker Died From 'Criminal Act'

The American scientist whose body was found in a World War II bunker on Crete nearly a week after she vanished died as the result of a "criminal act." A state coroner tells the AP he believes the death occurred near the time Suzanne Eaton was last sighted on July 2. The BBC got confirmation from police that the cause of death was suffocation, and Ekathimerini.com reports local coroners allegedly found that her mouth and nose had been blocked. The BBC quotes local media as saying her body was found under burlap and bore no other signs of trauma.

Police are said to be investigating whether the 59-year-old was killed in the bunker or elsewhere and then moved. The BBC describes the bunker as a man-made cave system employed by the Nazis. It's now abandoned and about 6 miles from where Eaton was last spotted; ABC News describes the bunker as being located in an area that's popular with tourists. "We showed respect for her remains which were found in a tunnel," says the head of the rescue team. "The recovery operation was not difficult but it followed an extensive search effort. The tunnel was about [330 feet] from a rural road." (More Suzanne Eaton stories.)