Woman Found in Shallow Grave North of Beaumont Identified by Detectives

A woman whose remains were discovered July 15 in a shallow grave north of Beaumont has been identified as a resident of Rancho Cucamonga who grew up in Los Angeles County, a San Bernardino County sheriff's detective confirmed Wednesday.

Christine Jo "CJ" Kunstmann, 44, originally of La Crescenta, was best friends with Sherry Thompson, of West Covina, Thompson told Banning-Beaumont Patch.

"I just want people to know Christine was a special person to a lot of people, and she will be deeply missed and most of all she was loved," Thompson said.

Kunstmann was positively identified Friday and her family has been notified, said San Bernardino County sheriff's Detective Ryan Ford.

Kunstmann was reported missing in Nevada in June, Ford said. She was last known to be at the Peppertree Apartments in Banning during the last week of May, detectives said.

"She definitely has ties to the Banning and Beaumont area," Ford said. "We're looking for her vehicle, which has disappeared."

Ford described Kunstmann's car as a grey 2003 Hyundai Elantra with Nevada license plate 022XCV. A photo of a Hyundai Elentra, which does not picture Kunstmann's car, is attached to this report.

Detectives on Wednesday requested the public's assistance in providing any information related to Kunstmann’s death.

The remains were found July 15 in a shallow grave under the same sprawling oak that shelters the ruins of an old stone house, a sheriff's spokeswoman said.

The graffiti-plastered ruins, party trash, ashy fire pits, and discarded furniture indicate the site is still a place where some people hang out, drink beer, get stoned, and dump all kinds of refuse.

The site is known to some locals simply as "the Oak Tree," and it has a reputation in Beaumont that reaches back at least a few decades.

"It is my understanding the grave was located directly under that tree," Jodi Miller of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said Friday night. "The tree with the stone structure under it."

More details emerged last week about the woman, but how she died has yet to be publicly explained by San Bernardino County sheriff's and coroner's officials.

"We're not releasing any of that as yet," Ford said Wednesday. "We are still working on identifying when she died."

The shallow grave and the old oak are west of Mile High Ranch Road, just north of the Riverside County line. South of the county line, Mile High Ranch Road is known as Avenida Miravilla - and it is the only paved route to get near the old oak and the stone ruins.

Avenida Miravilla and Mile High Ranch Road ascend a north-south trending, flat-topped ridge that stands between two deep canyons - Wallace Creek on the west and Noble Creek on the east.

Given the topography, it's clear that most visitors to the oak tree over the years came from the south, and what is now Riverside County, not from the east or west. There are no bridges or paved roads crossing the deep canyons on each side Mile High Ranch Road.

Information about the woman from the grave included a distinctive, color tattoo of "two red roses from a single stem" on her right forearm and wrist, according to a coroner's update released last week.

"Following a forensic examination on Wednesday, July 20, 2011, it was determined that the White or Hispanic female decedent was approximately 5'4", and weighed between 185 to 210 lbs," the coroner's update said.

"She had dark brown shoulder-length hair (possibly dyed) and brown eyes. She was clad in a dark tank-top and sports bra combination with pink lace scalloping around neck, blue denim pants, and black Nike shoes (women's US size 8.5)," the update said.

"A color tattoo was observed to her right forearm/wrist area, depicting two red roses from a single stem. Due to decomposition changes, age can only be estimated preliminarily between 25 and 60 years – but additional examinations to narrow this range are under way," the update said.

"Cause of death cannot be determined, pending additional laboratory tests. Fingerprints are available, but are of insufficient quality to be compared in the usual state and national databases. Dental records will be developed for comparison, and DNA profiles will be uploaded to the state and national databases," the update said.

The body discovery was reported to San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies just after 11 a.m. July 15, according to homicide investigators.

A Riverside County sheriff's deputy notified San Bernardino County authorities of a body near Mile High Ranch Road, north and west of Noble Creek, investigators said.

Anyone with information about the possible identity of the victim was urged to call the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department - Coroner Division at (909) 387-2978.

The death was also being reviewed by San Bernardino County sheriff's Specialized Investigations detectives.

Tipsters were urged to call Ford or Sgt. Jim Cornell at (909) 387-3589. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463), or leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.