South of Los Angeles proper lies the jutting, prominent Palos Verdes Peninsula. Compared to the Santa Monica Bay, with its extensive sandy beaches stretching all the way to Malibu, Palos Verdes is marked by sheer cliffs, rocky coves, and multi-million-dollar mansions overlooking the sea.
Recently, however, a series of curious flotsam has washed ashore in the area. Multiple appearances of human remains have shown up on the shores of Palos Verdes Estates, dating back to 2023, perplexing authorities. Now, however, it appears there’s been no foul play, no mass conspiracy of Al Capone-esque body dumping off the coast, as police have some answers.
Via press release, the PV Police Department announced:
“Starting in 2023, the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department (PVED) recovered multiple sets of human remains along the shoreline. Recently, there have been three confirmations of the identities of the remains.”
The first being a human femur, which was discovered in 2023. It was linked to Mark Paulson, who was reported missing in January of 2021 to the Redondo Beach Police Department when he did not return from a boating trip.
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Next, in 2024, a human skill was discovered, then later attributed to Raymond Simeroth, a man experiencing homelessness. No foul play was expected in his disappearance and subsequent discovery of his remains.
Finally, also in 2024, a fishing boat was reported missing from nearby San Pedro. The boat later washed up in Palos Verdes, with no sign of the two fishermen who were onboard. Later that same year, two partial portions of lower extremities were found on the shoreline and confirmed through DNA testing, with one of those lower halves belonging to one of the missing fishermen.
Palos Verdes, as you may well know, has been in the surfing spotlight in recent years due to the Lunada Bay Boys “gang” – a reign of terror against non-local surfers that ended in lawsuits.
As for the human body parts washing ashore situation, Chief Luke Hellinga said:
“The Palos Verdes Estates Police Department remains committed to thorough investigations that help bring answers and closure to families affected by tragedy. While the circumstances surrounding each case are heartbreaking, we hope that these identifications provide a measure of peace to the loved ones who have endured uncertainty and loss.”
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