Grisly Discoveries of Body Parts Might Be Linked

The discovery of a woman’s headless torso wrapped in garbage bags in Lincoln Heights on Monday may be related to an incident Friday in which a motorist found two plastic bags containing body parts in Pico Rivera, authorities said.

The torso was found just before 1 p.m. in a trash bin at a Los Angeles Fire Department maintenance facility in the 100 block of 19th Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The discovery is being investigated as a homicide by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and authorities say it appears to be linked to the discovery of body parts last week in the 8300 block of LexingtonGallatin Road near Maxine Street.

The county coroner had yet to definitively link the body parts or identify the victim, a process that could take a day or two, said Sheriff’s Deputy Alba Yates.

The body parts in Pico Rivera were discovered about 10 p.m. Friday.

Residents had noticed the two garbage bags Wednesday, but it wasn’t until a motorist ran over a bag that its contents were discovered, according to televised reports.

Carlos Gudino told KABC-TV Channel 7 that he was parking his SUV when he ran over one of the bags, which he said felt like a speed bump.

He said his friend got out of the vehicle to see what they had hit, and quickly noticed that something wasn’t right.

“He comes up to us and says, ‘Dude, those are legs.’ ”

Gudino said he then got out and looked at the contents.

“Sure enough, there are two legs,” he told the station.

When the men looked into the other bag, they found a head and arms, he said.

At first they thought the objects might be fake, he said.