Body found packed in dry ice at hotel

[IJ Reilly]

Newport Beach police discover a dead woman while searching a room in connection with a drug arrest. Body 'was well preserved,' a police spokesman says.

Newport Beach police conceded Friday that they were more than a little baffled by the discovery they made during a routine search of a room at an upscale hotel: a woman's body packed in dry ice.

"It's very odd," police spokesman Sgt. Evan Sailor said. "It's not normal; it's a little weird."

How the woman died, how long her body had been in the hotel room and even who she is -- mysteries all, police said.

Officers discovered the fully clothed body at 10:15 p.m. Thursday in a rubber or plastic container while searching a room at the posh Fairmont Hotel on MacArthur Boulevard near John Wayne Airport. Police said they searched the room after seizing a small amount of narcotics and arresting a man on suspicion of possessing and selling cocaine.

Stephen David Royds, 46, whom police said they had been watching for a while, was booked into the city jail on bail of $30,000. He has not been charged in the woman's death.

What is unclear, Sailor said, is any connection between Royds and the body in his room. "He's being talked to," the spokesman said, "but we don't have a clue."

The Orange County coroner's office said Friday that the victim, who has not been identified, did not appear to have been murdered. But the cause of her death had not been determined. Toxicology tests have been ordered.

A spokeswoman for the Fairmont said the staff was cooperating with police.

"Dry ice is not available at the hotel," Michelle Heston said.

Sailor said the woman's body appeared to be very "well preserved."

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dryice8mar08,1,1984493.story

The police are baffled. What are your theories?

[.Andy]

The police must have some leads. The trail can't be cold from the start.

[IJ Reilly]

The police must have some leads. The trail can't be cold from the start.

A bit of dry humor, eh?

[riscy]

Icy (I see) that there is something odd about this story.A bit of dry humor, eh?

[christopher3071]

Depends on how long he's been in the apartment. Dry ice sublimes unbelievably fast, so either:
1) It happened when he was out of the apartment somewhere and someone wanted to frame him.(considering he's a drug dealer, this doesn't seem too far off)
2) He did it.
3) If they prove the body was there over a day or two: He did it and keeps refreshing the body with new dry ice steadily. (and smells terrible due to lack of showering as his tub is 'occupied'.

That's my guess.

[.Andy]

Icy (I see) that there is something odd about this story.
That pun is sublime.

Depends on how long he's been in the apartment. Dry ice sublimes unbelievably fast, so either:
1) It happened when he was out of the apartment somewhere and someone wanted to frame him.(considering he's a drug dealer, this doesn't seem too far off)
2) He did it.
3) If they prove the body was there over a day or two: He did it and keeps refreshing the body with new dry ice steadily. (and smells terrible due to lack of showering as his tub is 'occupied'.

That's my guess.
I agree with 2. It's far too early to rule out royd rage.

[riscy]

Why. thank you, Andy - glad my pun was noticed, althought I spelt it out a bit for non native English speakers.

That pun is sublime.

[IJ Reilly]

That pun is sublime.

You slay me.

My theory is the woman in died from a drug overdose in the hotel room and the guy couldn't think of way of getting her out.

I liked the understated police reaction, "it's a little weird." As in, "first time this week."

[riscy]

I think the police shoud dry a little harder to solve this case.

[IJ Reilly]

I think the police shoud dry a little harder to solve this case.

Of corpse they should.

[riscy]

Any body woud think that this was a cut and dry caseOf corpse they should.

[Gelfin]

"It's very odd," police spokesman Sgt. Evan Sailor said. "It's not normal; it's a little weird."

"It's out of the ordinary," the Sergeant continued. "It's a bit peculiar. It's not something we see everyday. It's not what we would call common. In the general distribution of occurrences this is a low-percentile event. When we see things happening, we expect this not to be one of them."

[bartelby]

"It's out of the ordinary," the Sergeant continued. "It's a bit peculiar. It's not something we see everyday. It's not what we would call common. In the general distribution of occurrences this is a low-percentile event. When we see things happening, we expect this not to be one of them."


That's kinda what I was thinking too!

[CanadaRAM]

Body found packed in dry ice at hotel - Hotel bills estate for $800 mini-bar tab.

[Roger1]

It kind of takes your breath away, doesn't it? :rolleyes:

My theory is she was already there before he rented the room. He's just an innocent bystander. I hope it doesn't become a cold case :D

[IJ Reilly]

That's kinda what I was thinking too!

Because I'd already said it, maybe?

Body found packed in dry ice at hotel - Hotel bills estate for $800 mini-bar tab.

Good one. :)

I hope it doesn't become a cold case :D

You mean, like four chilled six-packs?

[bartelby]

Because I'd already said it, maybe?



Sorry, I didn't read your post.

[IJ Reilly]

Sorry, I didn't read your post.

Well, obviously. ;)

[Prof.]

The police must have some leads. The trail can't be cold from the start.

A bit of dry humor, eh?
You guys crack me up every time I come on here. That's why I love this place.:D

[Roger1]

You mean, like four chilled six-packs?


Or a Pepsi CUBE.

[mcarnes]

Necrophiliac with his traveling bride. Sooooo obvious.

[IJ Reilly]

Necrophiliac with his traveling bride. Sooooo obvious.

Well to you, maybe. :o

[mcarnes]

Well to you, maybe. :o

:p Ha ha. Schwing.

[Roger1]

Maybe he killed her because she was frigid?

(Puts self in corner for tasteless pun)

[brad.c]

But the cause of her death had not been determined.

How fatal is it to be, say, packed in dry ice for an unknown period of time?

Ooh, a chill just ran down my spine.

[riscy]

Maybe they were going through a rough patch and were just having a cooling off period.

Maybe he killed her because she was frigid?

(Puts self in corner for tasteless pun)

[iBlue]

Dexter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dexter_(TV_series)) fan, perhaps?

[Abstract]

Check to see if her kidneys are still there.

[IJ Reilly]

Because we deserve an update:

Report: Woman Packed on Ice for "Religious Reasons"

The Associated Press

March 10, 2008, 5:29 AM PDT

Police continue to investigate a suspected drug dealer and why he was in a hotel room with a woman's body packed in dry ice.

The man, meanwhile, told a newspaper that her death may have been in some way connected to religion.

"Everything that happened was for religious reasons," Stephen David Royds told The Orange County Register on Sunday.

Royds spoke to the newspaper in a brief interview from jail. He repeated the statement four times but did not elaborate.

Detectives found the body of Monique Felicia Trepp, 33, fully clothed and "well preserved" inside a large Rubbermaid container late Thursday after arresting a guest at the Fairmont Newport Beach for investigation of selling and possessing cocaine, police Sgt. Evan Sailor said.

An autopsy was inconclusive but the death did not appear to be a homicide, and authorities were awaiting a toxicology report.

Along with Trepp's body, police found porch swings, toy night-vision goggles and large sake bottles with lamp sockets stuffed into their spouts in Royds' room.

Royds, 46, was booked Saturday at Orange County Jail in Santa Ana, where he was denied bail because of a possible probation violation, authorities said.

He was scheduled to be arraigned on the drug charges Monday. He has not been charged in connection with Trepp's death.

In 2005, Trepp was charged with several felonies in Colorado, including possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, court records showed.

Her attorney in Colorado Mark S. Rubinstein said a much older man posted bail for Trepp, and she then disappeared. Records show there were still outstanding warrants for her arrest.

Court records showed that in 2002 Royds pleaded guilty to four felony drug charges in Orange County.

http://ktla.trb.com/news/ktla-dryice,0,1968945.story

I need to know more about a religion which involves Rubbermade containers, dry ice, porch swings, night-vision goggles, sake bottles and lamp sockets. This could be my kind of church.

[Antares]

A bit of dry humor, eh?

Dry humor...dry ice....Ha Ha! I get it. :D

"It's very odd," police spokesman Sgt. Evan Sailor said. "It's not normal; it's a little weird."

Well, No Sh*t! I would be more disturbed if he said this was a normal thing. And where exactly can we find body size Rubbermaid containers?

[brad.c]

And where exactly can we find body size Rubbermaid containers?

Tell me about it.

[mouchoir]

In the cold light of day, I'm sure the police will be able to pick away at his story until he cracks.

They just need to put some heat on him and pretty soon he'll melt.

[IJ Reilly]

Tell me about it.

Have you tried Wal-Mart?

[thomasz1]

hmmmmm. wrong place @ wrong time?

[Roger1]

Dry humor...dry ice....Ha Ha! I get it. :D



Well, No Sh*t! I would be more disturbed if he said this was a normal thing. And where exactly can we find body size Rubbermaid containers?

I'd like to know. I need a couple.

[Killyp]

"It's very odd," police spokesman Sgt. Evan Sailor said. "It's not normal; it's a little weird."


Really? I wouldn't be all that surprised to find a woman stone cold dead in a hotel room...