Federal Way Body Identified

A body found on a Federal Way street Tuesday morning has been identified as that of a 27-year-old woman who lived in Federal Way and in the Pierce County community of Edgewood.

Leega Anderson died of strangulation after being beaten, according to an autopsy report by the King County Medical Examiner's Office. Federal Way police said identification was confirmed by photos made after they arrested Anderson last Thursday for investigation of prostitution.

Police said Anderson was last seen hitchhiking on Highway 161 near the Surprise Lake Shopping Center in Edgewood shortly after midnight Tuesday.

Police also recovered evidence at the scene in the 33400 block of 13th Place South that could be linked with a suspect or suspects, they said. They did not elaborate.

Anderson's body, fully clothed, was reported in the roadway by a worker in a nearby building about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. The area is about a block west of Pacific Highway South.

Detectives asked that anyone who saw Anderson on Monday or was near the intersection of 13th Place South and South 336th Street Tuesday morning to call them at 253-661-4600.

Dee Norton's phone message number is 206-464-2255. His e-mail address is: dnor-new@seatimes.com