Parts of Body Found in 3 Plastic Bags

Harbor Division police today continued to search the Wilmington area for the remaining parts of a mutilated body which was found Sunday stuffed in green plastic garbage bags. The first grisly discovery was reported about 2 am by an unidentified Marine at the Terminal Island Naval Station. The Marine told Long Beach police he found a green trash bag containing a right leg and foot in the roadway of the Terminal Island Freeway south of Anaheim Street. Harbor Division police were called to the scene and three hours later found a second bag on the Pacific Coast Highway onramp to the southbound Terminal Island Freeway.

The second bag spotted by a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter contained two arms which had been severed at the shoulder and wrists. About 10:25 am Sunday investigators found a third bag at Henry Ford Avenue and Alameda Street. The bag found lying in the street next to the curb contained a human torso of a young male Caucasian police said. All of the body parts were taken to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office and an effort is being made to identify the found body parts. During their search Sunday police combed a one-and-a-half-mile square radius in Wilmington. The LAPD helicopter also searched the area from about 4 :30 to 7 am. The sacks in which the body parts were found were described as 30-gallon trash can liner bags. Police said they are still missing the victim’s head, left leg and foot and both hands. Investigators James Pitman and Brad Phelan are coordinating the continuing search and investigation.