Updated

Washington state authorities are investigating the suspicious death of a woman whose body was found in her apartment and graphic photos posted online that purport to show the body.

The Kitsap County sheriff's office said the photos were posted before authorities learned of the death in Port Orchard, which is west of Seattle across Puget Sound. The death appears to be a homicide, said sheriff's Deputy Scott Wilson.

Wilson said the photos appeared to have been posted anonymously on an image-sharing website just before 3 p.m. Tuesday, about a half-hour before the death was reported, according to the Kitsap Sun. The photos included text indicating law enforcement would know about the death once one of the woman's relatives found her body. Wilson said a relative did find and report the body. He refused to say exactly who that was.

He said officers take the photos seriously but "we're unable to confirm whether those photographs are of this victim."

Wilson said officers don't believe the attack was random.

Sheriff's officers are trying to locate the woman's missing car. Authorities have not identified her.

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Information from: Kitsap Sun, http://www.kitsapsun.com/