Fishermen find woman's torso near Fremont's Dumbarton Pier

Byby Melanie Woodrow KGO logo
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Fishermen find torso near Fremont's Dumbarton Pier
Fremont police are investigating after human remains were found on a levee off Marshlands Road near the Dumbarton Pier in Fremont.

FREMONT, Calif. (KGO) -- Fremont police are investigating after human remains were found on a levee off Marshlands Road near the Dumbarton Pier in Fremont. Officials say a group of people fishing found the body and there are factors that may hamper the investigation.

According to police, identifying the body could be a challenge. Right now, Fremont detectives are investigating. But it's possible the body was dumped or floated from elsewhere.


WATCH VIDEO: Investigators search for clues where woman's body part was found

Multiple law enforcement agencies spent the day searching water and land for additional remains. This after someone found a woman's torso. Fremont police say the arms, legs, and head were severed.

"Surprised but not shocked," said Larry Bartington, who's been casting his line there for 20 years. He went on to say, "This is a nice place to come out and go fishing."

That's what the Fremont Police Department says people were doing Sunday night when they found human remains.

Just after 8 p.m., someone called in a report of a body found in the Marshlands near the Dumbarton Pier.

Fremont police say the Alameda County Coroner's Office took custody of the female body at 11 p.m. Sunday.

Sources tell ABC7 News the original call was for a body in a suitcase.

The coroner's office confirms it subsequently performed an autopsy on a "torso."

"I'm surprised somebody would pick up the suitcase out here and look at it," Bartington said.

A Fremont Police Department spokesperson would not confirm what the female torso was in, but did say it was in something and added that investigators do not know if the torso was dumped or floated from elsewhere in the San Francisco Bay.

It's not clear how long it had been in the water or at this location.

"I'm sure somebody was down here and knows more about it," said Bartington.

Detectives are asking anyone with information to contact them.