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Coroner: FBI, CPD recovered head among remains found while investigating dismembered woman found in November

It's unclear if the head belongs to the woman found in November
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CINCINNATI — A dismembered head was found among the remains located while Cincinnati police and FBI agents were conducting a search for additional evidence connected to a dismembered body of a woman discovered.

Hamilton County Coroner Lakshmi Sammarco said a head was found, but she didn't specify if any other body parts were located.

The head was discovered Wednesday morning during the search, but they haven't determined for certain whether it also belongs to the same woman. The head was located "within a few blocks" of where the torso was found, Sammarco said.

Sammarco said it will take "until next week" to determine if they are from the same body.

Police found the woman's torso in a treeline in North Fairmount in November, but the identity of the person remains unknown.

Cincinnati police held a press conference Wednesday morning as officers and FBI agents searched the wooded area off Baltimore Avenue near Beekman Street where she was found. Police are also searching the nearby areas, like Lidell Street.

Cincinnati Police Captain Stephen Saunders said only the woman's torso was found, which has made learning her identity difficult.

Saunders also said police are unsure whether she was a local woman, or if she is from elsewhere and was simply left in North Fairmount.

"We've looked at all possible connections to the Cincinnati area for possible missing persons that might relate to this person but we have not found any links or associations and we've looked in the region as well," said Saunders.

He dismissed rumors that popped up after the woman's body was found about a possible serial killer in the area; Saunders said there haven't been any cases like this in the Greater Cincinnati area and there is no reason to suspect it's anything other than an isolated homicide.

"Obviously this is a very disturbing scene, for the neighbors in this area, for the Cincinnati community, for anybody," said Saunders. "I know I've been in law enforcement for over 33 years and I've not seen anything of this nature and since I've been at CIS and talking with investigators who had been there, they have not seen anything like this nature, as well, in their career."

Sammarco said in November she believed the woman had been killed on either Nov. 3 or 4, and she was likely dead before she was dismembered.

She is African American, likely in her late 20s or early 30s. She is about 5 feet tall and 120 pounds.

While she has no tattoos, birthmarks or scars, Saunders said there is evidence that, around three years ago, she was pregnant. He said there's no proof she gave birth, but it's possible the evidence means she could have a child out there around the same age.

In November, Lakshmi said the woman's cause of death is known, but she could not share that information; during Wednesday's press conference, Saunders also could not release the cause of death.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Cincinnati Police Department or the coroner's office at 513-946-8700. You can also call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 513-352-3040.

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