Three separate suitcases found floating in a Florida canal contained the remains of a woman

South Florida police on Monday asked for the public’s help in identifying a woman whose remains were found floating in a canal in three separate suitcases last week.

Delray Beach Police Department held a press conference to generate leads about whose body parts were found Friday in the Intracoastal Waterway near Palm Trail.

Delray Beach is about 30 miles north of Fort Lauderdale.

Delray Beach Police Chief Russ Mager said Monday that a suitcase was initially discovered in the canal «with what was believed to be the human remains hanging outside of the suitcase.»

During the press conference, Mager said that a few hours later, police also received reports of two other suitcases floating south of where the first suitcase with human remains was found.

“We were able to determine that the remains inside this suitcase, the two suitcases, were actually human remains as well. And all three bags were deemed to be the same person, the same victim as the original bag that was found,” Mager said.

Sergeant Casey Kelly, who also spoke at the news conference, said the woman whose remains were found is believed to be Hispanic or white. She is between the ages of 35 and 55 and is approximately 5’4.

It’s possible the woman had her eyebrows tattooed and was placed on the canal on July 17 or Thursday, Kelly said.

He said investigators are focusing on an area near the waterway that extends about 1 mile.

“We are asking for the public’s help in reviewing the video surveillance cameras during that time period,” he said. «We ask that you look specifically for unusual vehicles or individuals, and certainly anyone carrying or moving luggage.»

Kelly continued: “The stretch of waterway is very large, and that’s part of the reason we came together today and asked for the public’s help. …But it is a very daunting task. So we’re asking the public to do some of that, that groundwork for us.»