Police in New Jersey had to rely on two distinguishing tattoos to identify a lady who was discovered dead inside a refrigerator in a forest just a few days before Christmas. The body was recovered on December 22 in the Garden State’s Belleplain State Forest, located in the township of Cape May.
Authorities have revealed little facts about the case, but they suspect the woman is roughly 5 feet tall and either Caucasian or Hispanic. The tattoos in question are a koi fish on the woman’s upper right shoulder blade and a rose motif that spans her left ribs, chest, and hip.
In addition to the tattoos, law enforcement authorities reported finding a “distinctive” yoga mat and necklace at the crime site. Police have shared photographs of the woman on social media in the hopes of identifying her.
“State Police Seek Public Assistance in Identifying Human Remains.” Unidentified human remains were discovered in Belleplain State Forest on December 22, 2024, according to a Facebook announcement from the New Jersey State Police. “The remains are thought to belong to a Caucasian or Hispanic female standing about 5’1′ tall. The individual had two tattoos (pictured): a koi fish tattoo on the upper right side of her back (shoulder blade area) and a rose tattoo on her left ribs, which stretched from her breast to her hip.”
“In addition, a distinctive yoga mat and necklace (both pictured) were recovered at the scene,” the statement read. Shortly after it was shared, numerous netizens launched their own investigations. Authorities have monitored the post in case a legitimate tip emerges.
“I know that everything on Facebook, including the comments, has been watched,” a spokeswoman for the probe told The Daily Mail. “We’ve been taking action on everything we have seen that is providing any kind of good investigative leads like tattoo parlors.”
“We’ve been taking all the calls from tip lines,” they informed us. “We are just trying to see if anybody does know or can identify who she is and get a name, or know any associate of her.”
Several of the comments attempted to assist authorities in their quest. At the same time, some have cautioned investigators not to discard anything prematurely.
“Don’t rule someone out because of their tattoos. “If they were trafficked for a while, they could have gotten the tattoos while they were missing but still alive,” one person said. “Police should check with every tattoo shop in the neighborhood; most tattoo artists take images of their work once they finish it. That could help their inquiry.
One user even suggested that the woman could be tied to a missing person case. “There was a girl who went missing in Atlantic County where her car was found in the woods with no plate attached,” according to their report.