Police are investigating the death of a woman in Dawson City, after a body was found outside an empty house in downtown Dawson on Saturday.

The deceased woman is 56-year-old Jeannie King, a longtime Dawsonite who worked at the Esso gas station.

Her body was found by a passerby at around 2 p.m. Saturday, police reported today.

Contrary to rampant rumours in the community of 1,300, police do not believe King was murdered, said RCMP spokesman Sgt. Don Rogers.

Nevertheless, the division's major crimes unit has taken charge of the investigation.

"We treat it at suspicious until proven otherwise,” Rogers said. "But there's no reason at this point in time to believe there's foul play involved.”

Police said today they believe King left a party at another residence early Saturday morning, but never arrived home. Investigators have not determined a time or cause of death.

"(King's body) was certainly there for an extended period of time,” Rogers said. "But the temperature was so cold, we don't know how long she would have been there.”

Alcohol and frigid temperatures may have been factors in the woman's death, Rogers said, noting the mercury dropped as low as -38 C in central Yukon over the weekend.

Dawson City RCMP officers cordoned off the area around the Fifth Avenue house Saturday afternoon and remained on the scene into the evening. King's body was not removed until the forensics unit had scoured the area and the coroner had arrived.

"We need to be able to conduct the investigation to the fullest of our ability, and sometimes that necessitates a body being left in a position for some period of time,” Rogers said. "During these investigations, the deceased person is treated with the utmost respect and dignity.”

King's body has been sent to Vancouver and an autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday, Rogers said.

Her family has been notified of her death.