The unidentified victim was found in the Intracoastal Waterway known for its stretches of multimillion-dollar homes with private docks
Florida police released a forensic rendering Wednesday of a woman whose dismembered body was found in three suitcases in different locations floating in a waterway near Delray Beach.
"These reconstructed images aren’t an exact likeness," Delray Beach Police Sgt. Casey Kelly cautioned in a videotaped update Wednesday.
The department's forensic imaging unit created the image of the victim, whose body was found in the early stages of decomposition.
Police previously provided descriptions of two of the suitcases — a purple Ricardo Beverly Hills bag and a green and black polka dot Charlie Sports roller.
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A rendering of a woman whose dismembered body was found in the water July 21 in three suitcases in Delray Beach, Fla. The photo on the upper right shows one of the suitcases, and the image in the lower right shows the pattern of her floral blouse. (Delray Beach Police Department)
The grisly discovery was made July 21 when a construction worker spotted "human remains hanging outside the suitcase," Delray Beach Police Chief Russ Mager told reporters Tuesday at a news conference.
The worker called 911 at 4:03 p.m., and investigators confirmed there were human remains protruding from the luggage found near Palm Trail, Mager said.
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Later that same day, reports came in of two additional suitcases bobbing in the water that contained parts of the same woman's body.
All three pieces of luggage were found about one mile apart in the Intracoastal Waterway between the George Bush Boulevard Bridge near Palm Trail and the Linton Boulevard Bridge in an upscale area of the city, according to police.
A drawing of the clothing worn by a woman found dismembered July 21 in three suitcases in Delray Beach, Fla. Some of her body parts were found in a Ricardo Beverly Hills suitcase, pictured right. (Delray Beach Police Department)
The Intracoastal Waterway, which is a canal that flows parallel to Florida's Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts, is known for stretches of multimillion-dollar homes with private docks that line its shores.
Police said the victim is White or Hispanic, between the ages of 35 and 55 and approximately 5 feet, 4 inches tall.
Her eyebrows might be tattooed, and she was wearing a floral tank top from the company Betzabe with a black undershirt and black shorts.
At a news conference Tuesday, Kelly said police believe the suitcases were dumped in the water between July 17 and July 20 in Palm Beach County.
Delray Beach Police Sgt. Casey Kelly showing reporters the location where each of three suitcases containing a dismembered woman were found in the Intracoastal Waterway in Delray Beach, Fla. Delray Beach Police Chief Russ Mager stands in the background at a news conference Tuesday. (Delray Beach Police Department)
Police are asking for the public's help identifying the woman and for any other information about the homicide.
Kelly specifically urged local residents to check surveillance footage for any unusual vehicles in the area or people hauling luggage.
Police said they hadn't identified a missing person that matches the victim's description.
Tips can be directed to Delray Beach Police Det. Mike Liberta at 561-243-7874.
Rebecca Rosenberg is a veteran journalist and book author with a focus on crime and criminal justice. Email tips to
