An unidentified woman was found dismembered inside three suitcases in Florida (Picture: Delray Beach Police Department)
Police in Florida are searching for answers after an unidentified woman’s body was found dismembered in three separate suitcases and dumped in a canal.
The victim was found last week in the Delray Beach’s Intracoastal Waterway, a series of canals that run parallel to the seaside town’s coast.
Police were called to the scene last Friday when a local noticed a suitcase floating in the canal with what appeared to be a body part hanging out.
‘Within a few hours of this particular call, we received two other calls regarding other suitcases that were floating just south of this location,’ Delray Beach Police Chief Russ Mager said at a press conference.
One of the suitcases found in Delray Beach (Picture: Delray Beach Police Department)
Investigators quickly realized the other two suitcases also contained human remains, and eventually determined that all three belonged to the same person.
The victim has yet to be identified. She had brown hair and was about 5’4″ in height. Detectives believe she was between the ages of 35 and 55, and either Caucasian or Latin American.
‘Based on the victim’s condition, we believe the timeframe in which she was put into the water was between Monday, July 17 and the early morning hours of Thursday, July 20,’ Sgt Casey Kelly said.
Her clothing – a floral top, black shirt, and black shorts – was also found inside the suitcases. The brand of her top was identified as Betzabe – which detectives believe is a Brazilian manufacturer.
Both suitcases appear to be bound by pink ribbon (Picture: Delray Beach Police Department)
Police would not say how they believed the victim was killed, which they called ‘sensitive case information.’
Investigators are asking for the public’s help in identifiying the suspect and finding any information about the crime. They are currently asking locals to search footage from their personal security cameras.
‘We ask that you specifically look for any unusual vehicles or people, and certainly anyone carrying or moving luggage,’ Sgt Kelly said.
‘No information is too small,’ Chief Mager added.
An artist’s rendition of the unidentified victim (Picture: Delray Beach Police Department)
On Thursday, police released images of two of the suitcases the victim was discovered in.
One suitcase was purple, while the other is green with white polka dots. Both appear to be bound by pink ribbon.
They also released an artist’s rendition of the victim, including a photorealistic reconstruction of her face and outfit.
‘These reconstructed images are not an exact likeness of the victim or her clothing and are simply the interpretation of the artist,’ the Delray Police said.
Police were called to the scene last Friday when a local noticed a suitcase floating in the canal with what appeared to be a body part hanging out.
