Local sheriffs received a phone call at 0623 hours on 8-27-89 from a man who reported he had discovered a dead body buried in the sand on a beach in Malibu. Initial officers at the scene noted that just a hand was showing through the sand. So as not to disturb the body or the sand surrounding it, they cordoned off a large area of the beach and notified Homicide. Homicide investigators arrived at 0728 hours. The amputated arm of a white male was uncovered.  The arm appeared to have been in the ocean, but there was not significant decay. 

The coroner, crime scene technicians, and a forensic anthropologist were called to the scene.  Investigators began a detailed search of the surrounding beach in an attempt to find other body parts or clothing. The sand was thoroughly combed for any trace evidence. They found a baseball cap that appeared to have been in the ocean and collected it as evidence, although it could not be conclusively linked to the arm.

Initial indications were that the arm had been removed post-mortem, possibly bitten off by a shark somewhere off the coast of Malibu. The arm was transported for a more detailed examination at 0842 hours.

Homicide investigators found no other significant evidence at the scene. 

The arm had two very distinctive tattoos. One was of a large parrot, the other a ringed design around the forearm. Law enforcement personnel did not recognize either tattoo as indicative of gang affiliation.