Sally Menke, 56, had gone hiking with her dog above the Hollywood Hills in the 2800 block of Canyon Drive before 10 a.m. during Monday's record-breaking heat wave. When she did not return by afternoon, Menke's friends and family had gone searching after she failed to return home.
Authorities received a missing-person report and began an extensive search effort. Her locked car was found in a parking lot at Griffith Park.
Menke was the longtime film editor for director Quentin Tarantino, working on movies like "Kill Bill," "Jackie Brown" and "Pulp Fiction." Her work on the film "Inglourious Basterds" earned Menke her second Oscar nomination.
The body was found at 2:15 a.m. Tuesday in a ravine that backed up to a cul-de-sac on Green Oak Drive. The cause of death has not yet been determined, but authorities said foul play is not suspected. It is unclear if the death was heat related.
Police said Menke was accustomed to walking the hills above Hollywood, so her sudden death comes as a shock to those who frequent the area.
"The trails here are so clearly marked, and I've been here so many times, and it seems like there's always someone coming by, so it's just very, very peculiar," said Lana Bergen, a hiker.
Menke went hiking with her black Labrador Retriever, which crews found sitting right next to Menke's remains. The dog returned to the family. It was a little dehydrated, but otherwise OK.
