Community Corner

Coroner Dig at School Related to Homicide Investigation, Says Staff

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed Friday night that the county coroner's office was digging through a pile of fertilizer on a field at Pacific Elementary School.

The spokesperson said she hoped to receive details about the dig so she could answer the flood of news media calls the sheriff's department was receiving.

A Manhattan Beach city staff member said the search is related to the discovery of a decomposing body found Thursday afternoon in a pile of fertilizer next to a ball field in Polliwog Park. The search at Pacific was done because city public works staff had transported mounds of fertilizer from Polliwog Park to Pacific Elementary’s field before the body was discovered. Nothing of note is believed to have been found at Pacific, according to the city staffer.

Investigators believe the body found at Polliwog Park Thursday to be that of a young hispanic male but have released few details about the crime. An autopsy is expected next week, according to investigators.

When called Friday night about the dig, the Manhattan Beach Police Department referred Patch to the sheriff's department. 


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