It is well-known that a spot in Cuddy Creek, near the bridge between Lake of the Woods and Frazier Park is a hangout for drug addicts and alcoholics and a place that one should avoid at night.  Jukka Hellsten was found dead in Cuddy Creek on November 3rd near the Monterey Tr. bridge; a relatively short distance away.  Sheriff Public Information Officer Ray Pruitt told The Mountain Daily News today that the cause of Hellsten's death has not yet been determined by the Coroner.  He was unable to release a physical description of Hellsten's body because it is relevant to the ongoing investigation. 

The Mountain Enterprise, however, in an article titled "Was it Murder?", did some excellent reporting on what nearby residents heard the night before and included a 911 call recording in the web-version of their story:

There is no doubt in the minds of the people who heard calls for help, screams of pain and an anguished shout of "Stop!" and "Don’t!" beginning about 8:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2. What they heard that dark night left them certain that someone was being attacked in a way that caused severe pain.

The cries continued for 15 minutes, moving away from them, while they urgently begged a 911 dispatcher to send someone to help the man.  The next morning, Jukka Hellsten’s body was found in the creek near the Monterey Trail bridge.

The Mountain Enterprise heard the dispatcher’s alert November 2. Publisher Gary Meyer drove immediately to a pull-out just west of the Monterey Trail bridge. At about 8:45 p.m. he saw one of the two deputies in separate cars scanning the area. He heard no sounds coming from the creek.

Did nearby residents hear a murder in progress?  Read more on The Mountain Enterprise website.