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dan9999
03-17-2010, 12:21 PM
Human Head, Two Arms Found Along California River
March 16, 2010
FOXNews.com

Sutter County sheriff's Lt. Butah Uppal says the limbs belong to a male whose identity could be determined through fingerprints.

Northern California authorities have quite a mystery on their hands after finding a human head and three limbs -- but no body -- near a river.

The head and two arms were discovered last weekend along the Feather River, near the site where a severed leg was found several months ago, the Appeal-Democrat.com reported.

The arms belong to a male whose identity may be determined through fingerprints, Sutter County sheriff's Lt. Butah Uppal said. It wasn't clear if the head was that of a male or female.

Two fishermen reported finding the arms Saturday near Beer Can Beach on the Feather River, Uppal told the newspaper. The next day, authorities found the decomposing head up a hill.

The case is being investigated as a homicide, Uppal said.

It is not clear yet if the newly found body parts came from the same man whose leg was found in a plastic bag in November.

A pathologist determined the leg had been surgically removed while the person was alive, the newspaper reported. A DNA sample was taken and police were able to identify the man, but he was never located. Police have not publicly identified the man.

Uppal wouldn't say if the newly found arms had any identifying marks or were found in a plastic bag, the newspaper reported.

A half-dozen cadaver-sniffing dogs searched the area Sunday, but found no additional evidence.

Uppal said federal authorities are assisting with the investigation.

stman
03-17-2010, 12:44 PM
It seems like a lot of this is happening now. Had a similar incident here.

dan9999
03-18-2010, 12:47 PM
Police Try to ID Human Head, Limbs Found Along California River
Michelle Maskaly
FOXNews.com
March 16, 2010

The case is is considered a priority by the California Department of Justice, which is running DNA samples and fingerprints, in a desperate attempt to figure out who exactly these body parts belong to, and if they are connected.

Police in Northern California are studying forensic evidence, reviewing old missing person cases and reaching out to medical schools to try to solve a mysterious body parts case.

Two arms, a leg and a head were found near a river over several months, with the most recent discovery last weekend.

California Department of Justice considers the case a priority and is running DNA samples and fingerprints tests in a desperate attempt to figure out exactly who the body parts belong to and if they came from the same body, Sutter County sheriff's Lt. Butah Uppal told FoxNews.com.

Uppal said there are no indications someone is randomly going around cutting of limbs, because they don't have a large number of missing persons cases. They are, however, cross-checking those lists as they get more information about who the body parts may belong to.

"We don't know what's going to come out of it," he said, adding they've checked with surrounding universities and laboratories to see if there were any reports of missing body parts. They've come up empty so far.

The head and two arms were discovered last weekend along the Feather River, about a half-a-mile from where a leg was found in November.

Forensic tests revealed the arms are possibly that of a male over the age of 45. The head is believed to belong to a white male, but that could not be fully confirmed yet, police said.

Previous DNA tests on the leg show it belongs to a male and is believed to have been surgically removed.

"Evidence shows it was surgically removed or done by someone who has experience in removing limbs," Uppal told FoxNews.com.

Uppal said it is too early to say if all the body parts are connected to the same person.

The leg was found in a plastic bag, but Uppal wouldn't say if any of the new parts were found the same way, as to not compromise the case.

Uppal is hoping when results from the fingerprint tests, it will give them more clues. The tests can take up to a few weeks to complete.

"We want to try to find out who this person is and reunite them with their family and bring with it some justice," he told FoxNews.com.