Police: Oregon woman found dead committed suicide

NEWBERG, Ore. - An Oregon woman missing for nearly two weeks before her body was found committed suicide, authorities said Wednesday.

Jennifer Huston, 38, of Dundee, died of asphyxiation, according to the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office. The results of toxicology tests were still pending but investigators said they found an empty box of sleeping pills at the scene.

Huston's purse and cellphone were found in her SUV, along with a note addressed to her family, police said.

Investigators and the medical examiner's office said they believe Huston died fairly close to the time she was reported missing, CBS affiliate KOIN-TV reported.

The married mother of two disappeared on July 24 after going out to do some errands. She was last seen that day withdrawing a small amount of money from an ATM, fueling her SUV and buying Gatorade, trail mix and what police described as a nonlethal amount of sleeping pills.

Police and volunteers embarked on a massive search but found no sign of Huston. On Tuesday, a local homeowner spotted her SUV was found on a rural road in a remote area about 25 miles southwest of her home in Dundee. Her body was found a short distance away.

In a statement released through the Newburg-Dundee Police Department, Huston's family thanked authorities and the community for their support.

"Our hearts ache today," the family said. "We don't know what led Jennifer to this dark place and to this end and perhaps never will understand this. We are incredibly thankful to family, friends, community and media for their searching, supporting and getting the information out that lead to locating Jennifer's car and finding Jennifer."

The family said they were planning a memorial service to celebrate Huston's life.