What to Know
- Catherine Johannet, of Scarsdale, was reported missing by her hostel when she didn't return from a day trip
- The 23-year-old Scarsdale woman had traveled to Bastimentos Island, a tourist spot known for its beaches, hiking trails and wildlife
- Her body was found on a wooded trail near the beach Sunday; the FBI is assisting Panamanian authorities in their investigation
Friends and family gathered Saturday to remember Catherine Johannet, a 23-year-old woman who died while traveling in Panama.
Dozens gathered at Scarsdale Congregational Church for the funeral of the Scarsdale native and Columbia University graduate.
"She was really smart," her friend Jack Lesch said after the service. "You know, talking to her it was really clear how bright she was immediately. ... It's hard to wrap my head around."
Johannet's body was found last weekend along a wooded stretch on Bastimentos Island. A preliminary autopsy indicated she had been strangled, according to a Panamanian national TV network.
Johannet had been staying in a hostel on Colon Island and went to Bastimentos, an island known for its pristine beaches, hiking trails and wildlife, for a day trip, authorities have said. When she didn't return, the hostel reported her missing. Her body was found three days later.
The FBI is assisting Panamanian authorities in their investigation.
Local
Catherine Johannet's last Instagram post, put up about a week ago, shows a smiling woman in sunglasses and bathing suit, standing in the aqua-colored sea at Isla Ina, one of the small islands off the northern coast of Panama, a glorious backdrop of pillowy clouds behind her.
"I found paradise and it's called Isla Ina!" she wrote.
