MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF: Gwen Hasselquist
In March 2020, at the start of the pandemic, the mysterious death of a mother of two is ruled a suicide. But her loved ones believe there’s more to her death than meets the eye. And as soon as we looked into her case, the cracks in the official ruling started to show.
Click HERE to view the Ring doorbell footage of Gwen leaving the house.
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Gwen Hasselquist.
Courtesy: Dora Rich
The damage to the Chrysler minivan.
Courtesy: Pierce County Sheriff’s Office
Gwen and her husband, Erik Hasselquist.
Courtesy: Erik Hasselquist
The Hasselquist family.
Credit: Erik Hasselquist / Instagram
Gwen on the Ring doorbell camera footage.
Courtesy: Pierce County Sheriff’s Office
Erik’s post on Facebook following Gwen’s death.
Credit: Erik Hasselquist / Facebook
The family dog.
Courtesy: Dora Rich
Erik’s Facebook posts from when Gwen was missing.
Credit: Erik Hasselquist / Facebook
Gwen Hasselquist.
Courtesy: Dora Rich
The van’s keys that were found in Gwen’s pocket.
Courtesy: Pierce County Sheriff’s Office
A photo of Gwen with her glasses.
Credit: Erik Hasselquist / Instagram
Gwen with her kids.
Credit: Erik Hasselquist / Instagram
Erik Hasselquist.
Credit: Erik Hasselquist / Instagram
Timeline:
Around 10:19 p.m.
Gwen Hasselquist reportedly leaves her home according to a Ring camera screenshot later shared by her husband, Erik.
Around 12:20 a.m.
A Washington State Trooper finds the family’s Chrysler minivan wrecked and abandoned on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
Around 1 a.m.
An officer visits the Hasselquist home, where Erik claims Gwen is home asleep.
Around 2 a.m.
Erik calls 911 to report Gwen missing.
At 2:19 p.m.
A kayaker finds Gwen’s body in the Puget Sound, roughly seven miles from the bridge.
Tacoma Narrows Bridge
Where Gwen’s Chrysler minivan is found damaged and abandoned.
Puget Sound
The large inland saltwater inlet where Gwen’s body was discovered roughly seven miles from the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
Additional Info:
Tips
If you have any information about Gwen Hasselquist or her death or movements the night of March 20th, 2020, please email [email protected].
Crisis and Suicide Prevention Lifeline
If you or a loved one is struggling with thoughts of suicide or self-harm, you can call or text the Crisis and Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
We’d love to speak with you and see how we can support.
If you’re a law enforcement agency or family member of one of the people we mentioned in this episode, or if you’re looking for more coverage on a case, please reach out. You can email us at:
Episode Source Material
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Original reporting by Rachel Ryan and Mallika Dhaliwal.
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Washington State Department of Transportation (Olympia, WA): Tacoma Narrows Bridge History. Published n.d. Accessed September 26, 2025. https://www.wsdot.wa.gov/tnbhistory/
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National Center for Biotechnology Information (Bethesda, MD): Clonazepam, by Hajira Basit and Chadi I. Kahwaji. Published 2023. Accessed September 26, 2025. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556010/
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Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland, OH): Antiphospholipid Syndrome. Published n.d. Accessed September 26, 2025. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21685-antiphospholipid-syndrome
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Sjӧgren’s Foundation (Reston, VA): Sjӧgren’s Syndrome to Sjӧgren’s Disease: Why the Name Changed. Published n.d. Updated June 2025. Accessed September 26, 2025. https://sjogrens.org/understanding-sjogrens/sjogrens-syndrome-to-sjogrens-disease-why-the-name-changed
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Journal of Lung Health and Diseases (Kentwood, MI): Sjӧgren’s Syndrome and The Respiratory System: A Comprehensive Approach by Fatima Mahmood, Moiz Ehtesham, Syed Muhammad Mashhood Ali Bokhari, & Ruben A Peredo-Wende. Published December 1, 2021. Accessed September 26, 2025. https://www.lungdiseasesjournal.com/articles/sjogrens-syndrome-and-the-respiratory-system-a-comprehensive-approach.html
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Kiewit Corporation (Omaha, NE): Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Published n.d. Accessed September 26, 2025. https://www.kiewit.com/projects/tacoma-narrows-bridge/
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KREM 2 (Spokane, WA): Washington closes all schools and bans crowds during coronavirus outbreak by KING 5 Staff and Associated Press. Published March 13, 2020. Accessed September 26, 2025. https://www.krem.com/article/news/inslee-announces/281-edb9e3de-8aae-4d56-a747-04f26c883473
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The News Tribune (Tacoma, WA): Washington governor closes all schools in the state in response to coronavirus outbreak by James Drew. Published n.d. Updated March 13, 2020. Accessed September 26, 2025. https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/state/washington/article241176066.html
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The Seattle Times (Seattle, WA): Coronavirus puts Seattle-area grocery workers on front lines of pandemic by Chris Talbott. Published March 17, 2020. Updated March 20, 2020. Accessed September 26, 2025. https://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/coronavirus-puts-seattle-area-grocery-workers-on-front-lines-of-pandemic/
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KREM 2 (Spokane, WA): Timeline of Washington COVID-19 restrictions: Gov. Inslee issued first stay-home order 1 year ago by Megan Carroll (King 5 Staff). Published March 23, 2021. Accessed September 26, 2025. https://www.krem.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/timeline-washington-governor-inslee-issued-stay-home-order-one-year-ago/293-cd547cb3-1e87-40c9-9e62-d5ae1e4c531f
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Sjӧgren’s Foundation (Reston, VA): Frequently Asked Questions On Coronavirus/COVID-19 and Sjogren’s. Published n.d. Accessed September 26, 2025. https://sjogrens.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/FAQs%20-%20Sjogren%27s%20%20COVID%2019%20FINAL_0.pdf
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Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN): COVID-19 and pets: Can dogs and cats get COVID-19?. Published May 14, 2024. Accessed October 1, 2025.
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