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Tattooed body parts found in Mich. sewer are remains of Caucasian woman, authorities say
Police released this photo of a tattoo on some of the human remains found in a Detroit sewer.
/ CBS Detroit(CBS) - The tattooed body parts discovered in a suburban Detroit sewer in August belonged to a Caucasian female with a large build, authorities said Monday. Sterling Heights police said the discovery was revealed through DNA testing, CBS Detroit reports.
No other identifying factors were found, but the DNA will be put into state and federal databases to check for possible matches.
"We now know that we have a Caucasian female, with a large build, and then of course the additional information is the partial tattoo that was [on] the pieces of evidence that were recovered," said Lt. Luke Riley.
Contractors were clearing debris from a pipe in Sterling Heights around 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 15 when they found the 10 body parts. The parts, which were found on a grate about 50 feet down the sewer, didn't include bones or internal organs.
"They were not skeletal. Exactly what they are I can't tell you at this point, but from the description of what they are they definitely appear to be human and they don't appear to have been there a tremendously long time," Riley said.
More on Crimesider
Aug. 22, 2012 - Tattoo on body parts found in suburban Detroit sewer inked 15-20 years ago, police say
August 16, 2012 - Police work to ID body parts found in suburban Detroit sewer
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