apr 24, 1973 - HAWTH OFF HEAD John Doe No. 52 Empty trash bag found

Description:

"Early Sunday [4/22/73] three green plastic trash bags were found between 5 and 10:25am [...] The first Sunday discovery was uncovered by an off-duty Marine driving in the southbound lane of the freeway. The plastic bag was reported to be lying in the roadway and contained a right human leg. A second bag found near the onramp of Pacific Coast Highway was also reported by the LAPD. Long Beach police subsequently discovered a third bag. [...] The Sunday discoveries revealed [all but] one head, hands, and one leg. [...] Long Beach police reportedly made their discovery off the Artesia Freeway and Lakewood Boulevard" (AB 4/25/73).

"Four plastic bags were found in the harbor area. The bags collectively contained one leg, two arms, one torso, and human skin" (LAT 4/26/73).

"Harbor Division homicide investigators said [...] three bags [were] found Sunday [4/22/73] along the Terminal Island Freeway and one discovered Tuesday [4/24/73] along the Artesia Freeway in Long Beach. The first three bags contained the right leg and foot, handless arms, and torso of the victim. The head and hands of the young male [...] are still missing. The fourth bag found Tuesday [4/24/73] on the Artesia Freeway was empty and may have been torn open by animals" (SPNP 4/26/73).

My own speculation: This empty trash bag possibly originally contained his hands?

NamUs: https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/72085
NCMEC: https://www.missingkids.org/poster/NCMU/1398468/1
Doe Network: https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/software/main.html?id=3455umca
Article package, Apr. 1973: https://cacoldcases.blogspot.com/p/article-package-on-wilmington-john-doe.html
Twelve articles on Southland Four, Apr. to Aug. 1973: https://cacoldcases.blogspot.com/p/southland-four-apr-1973.html
LBPT 8/26/73 [SW list]: https://www.newspapers.com/article/press-telegram-southland-five-in-lbpt-sw/200592021/

** In the LBI/LBPT Secret Witness list alongside the rest of the Southland Five from Aug. 26, 1973 to July 28, 1974. **

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