According to police reports, as she loaded her kayak the following morning in camp, Peterson’s rifle discharged, killing her.
Alaska State Troopers were already aboard their patrol vessel Courage when authorities were notified at around 10:30 Sunday morning. Two Sitka police detectives and an officer responded with troopers.
No other people were in the cove at the time of the accident. Peterson’s body was flown to the state medical examiner’s office in Anchorage.
Peterson has three young children – all boys. She was a 1999 graduate of Pacific High School.