Woman’s body dumped behind movie theater and restaurant she worked at

Tatum Goodwin (right) was found dead behind a restaurant where she worked at in Laguna Beach, California

A young woman was found dead in an alleyway behind a movie theater and restaurant she worked at after a night out in Laguna beach, California.

The body of Tatum Goodwin, 27, was discovered by a construction worker ‘down in a secluded location’ by the 200 block of Ocean Avenue around 8.20am (PST) on Sunday, according to the Laguna Beach Police Department.

‘Tatum was a very hard working young lady and always kept a smile on her face,’ said Marcos Salim Heredia, the owner and operator of Carmelita’s Restaurants, where the teen worked.

Cops initially described the victim as being in her mid- to late-20s.

Caption: A tight-knit Orange County community is in shock after the body of a 27-year-old woman was found dead in an alley behind an old movie theater and a restaurant Sunday.Officers with Laguna Beach Police Department responded after a construction worker discovered thebody of Tatum Goodwin ?down in a secluded location? at around 8:20 a.m. near the 200 block of Ocean Avenue, a news release from the LBPD stated.Police added that her body showed trauma consistent with a homicide.(Picture: Instagram)

Detectives consider the scene suspicious and are investigating the death as a homicide.

‘We are saddened by this senseless act of violence, stated police Chief Jeff Calvert. ‘Our detectives are working diligently to bring the suspect(s) to justice.’

Goodwin’s cause of death is being determined by the Orange County Coroner’s Division.

Goodwin worked as an assistant manager Carmelita’s and was with the restaurant for four years, according to Heredia.

‘Over the years she had expressed her pleasure to be in laguna and have her opportunity with us,’ he wrote in a GoFundMe page he set up for a memorial for her. ‘We felt that we really had a family member here with us.’

Anyone with information on the case is urged to contact Orange County Crime Stoppers.

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The body of Tatum Goodwin, 27, was found in an alley behind the restaurant she worked in Laguna Beach after a night out.