Decomposing Limbs Found in East Oakland; Detectives Probe Possible Dismemberment Link

Oakland Police Department homicide detectives are probing two disturbing discoveries in East Oakland after officers located a dismembered, decomposing body in the 9700 block of San Leandro Street about 10:06 a.m. Sunday and, less than two days later, decomposing human limbs near 37th Avenue and East 16th Street about 1 a.m. Monday. Investigators are working to determine whether the scenes - roughly 3.5 miles apart - are connected.

Officers who responded to San Leandro Street, just north of 98th Avenue where elevated BART tracks run overhead, found what the department described in a press release as “a body that appeared to be in a state of decomposition and dismemberment.” Investigators said the remains appeared to have been at the San Leandro Street location for several days and that they may have been brought there from another site. Homicide detectives from OPD’s Homicide Section have secured the scene and are awaiting autopsy results.

The second discovery occurred near 37th Avenue and East 16th Street when officers reported finding decomposing human limbs after a call around 1 a.m. Monday. The limbs were described as being in a state of decomposition, and Oakland homicide investigators notified command that they were examining whether those remains match the dismembered body recovered on San Leandro Street. Investigators cited the roughly 3.5-mile separation between the two locations in their early routing of evidence and search areas.

Autopsy work is pending. “An autopsy will determine the victim’s gender and the cause of death, police said,” and coroner findings are expected to establish the victim’s identity and manner of death. No names, ages, or additional identifying details have been released, and OPD has not publicly confirmed whether the cases have been formally classified as homicides pending forensic results.

Investigators have asked the public for help. “Anyone with information, videos, or photos related to the case was asked to contact the Police Department's homicide unit at (510) 238-3821, the department's tipline at (510) 238-7950, or email cidvideos@oaklandca.gov.” Media reports also show a second email variant in circulation, cidvideo@oaklandca.gov; both addresses and the two phone numbers have been used in requests for tips while detectives compile surveillance and witness leads.

City tallies place this death among the year’s early violent deaths in Oakland; current counts show this as the ninth homicide investigated in the city so far this year, compared with 13 at the same point a year earlier. The investigation remains ongoing as OPD homicide detectives pursue forensic testing, surveillance footage, and any public-submitted images or information that could link the two scenes.