Dead Woman Found Packed in Dry Ice During 'Routine' Drug Bust*

woman found dead in cocaine dealers room packed in dry ice fairmont hotel newport beach Stephen David Royds
Unrelated photo of Ben & Jerrys' shipment of dry ice via AmyMo's flickr.

*UPDATE, Monday, March 10, 11:10 a.m.: The woman was on dry ice, apparently for 'religious reasons' and does not appear to be murdered. Full story can be found here.


What killed a 33-year-old woman discovered packed in dry ice in the Newport Beach hotel room of a cocaine dealer?

The few details are embarrassing sketchy at best pending CSI-style detectivery. The body was "well preserved" according to police who raided Stephen David Royds' room at the Fairmont after being tipped off that dudeman was selling cocaine on the premises. Newport Beach police stated that the woman's death did not appear to be a homicide.

The woman's body was discovered in Room 966, which stood out conspicuously when viewed from a stairwell. Two magnum-sized bottles of sake on the balcony looked as if they had been jury-rigged as makeshift lamps, with screw-in light-bulb fixtures attached to their spouts. Visible inside was a box labeled "Spy Vision: Night-Vision Goggles," a toy that sells for about $15 online. -- OC Register

So, dear readers, can we beat the NBPD to a conclusion here? Is this what typically takes place in swank Orange County hotels?

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Comments (4) [rss]

Are you sure that wasn't the Bates Motel?

Oh ha! That's my picture!

Great pic AmyMo - and nice to know it's "unrelated."

Uh, yeah. I very much appreciate that disclaimer Mr. Sternberg provided. 8-)

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