One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Search Called Off For Body Parts in Hollywood Hills, No Arrests Made, But Identity of Victim Established
In the Bronson Canyon area (Photo by Archie Tucker via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
Authorities have called off the search for more body parts in the rugged Hollywood Hills terrain where so far a head, two feet, and two hands have been discovered as part of an ongoing homicide investigation. Today, Bronson Canyon Park will be re-opened to the public for the first time since the gruesome discovery of the head in a bag by two women walking several dogs on the hiking trail.
The identity of the victim has been established, however his "name and other information about him are being withheld at the request of law enforcement, said coroner's Assistant Chief Ed Winter, according to City News Service. As earlier this morning, at most the authorities have attested the body parts are that of a man in his 40s to 60s, confirms Los Angeles Police Department Officer Gregory Baek.
Authorities have also dismissed a theory the severed body parts were from the same person as a torso discovered this week in Arizona.
Thursday night, rumors swirled in the media that an arrest in the case had been made, however the LAPD quickly squelched those speculations. In an email to the media titled "NO Arrest," the LAPD said: "According to Robbery Homicide Detectives there have been NO arrests made in the homicide investigation involving the discovery of body parts in the Hollywood Hills."
KFI News, however, reported that detectives on the investigation "searched an apartment building and car in Hollywood Thursday and were questioning a man about the case." They offered further details:
Investigators wearing raid jackets and accompanied by a police photographer were seen entering the lobby of the 3-story apartment building, located close to the LAPD's Hollywood Station, and due south of the park where the human remains were found. A neighbor said a tenant who lives with a pit-bull in a third-floor apartment left with detectives shortly after noon, and an LAPD source familiar with the case said a search warrant had been obtained for the premises.
A detective wearing blue rubber gloves was seen examining the contents of a small red sedan parked in front of the building.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
