Charred Human Remains Found Under Ventura Bridge

Charred human remains were found beneath a bridge in western Ventura, and detectives were at the scene late Monday night investigating the circumstances of the homicide.

The remains were discovered by a transient who had been walking near the bridge in the 800 block of West Main Street about 7:30 p.m., police and witnesses said.

The bridge is a few hundred feet west of the entrance to Ventura RV Park. The remains could not be seen from the park, park employee Eric Garcia said.

The transient reportedly saw what he thought was a garbage fire under the bridge and ran to the park for help. Park employee Edward Long used a fire extinguisher to snuff the flames.

“As I’m putting the fire out, I see an arm, a leg and a head,” Long said. “At first I thought it was a mannequin, but then I realized why would anyone burn a mannequin. It was a body.”

A deputy coroner at the scene late Monday declined to comment.

Long said the transient told him he saw a woman in a dark-blue hatchback pull up to the bridge and haul what appeared to be a bag of garbage to a sandy spot under the bridge.

The transient said the woman then poured liquid on the pile and set it on fire before driving away eastbound on Main Street.

“So far it’s a mystery to us,” said Ventura Police Sgt. Quinn Fenwick.

Fenwick confirmed that a description of the car would be broadcast to all patrol officers. The unidentified transient was taken to the police station for questioning.

Main Street between Peking Street and Milling Road, a route for accessing the northbound Ventura Freeway or California 33, remained closed to traffic as of 10 p.m.