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Body found packed in dry ice at hotel

IJ Reilly

IJ Reilly

macrumors P6
Original poster
Jul 16, 2002
17,912
1,506
Palookaville
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."
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http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dryice8mar08,1,1984493.story

The police are baffled. What are your theories?
 
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.
 
riscy said:
Icy (I see) that there is something odd about this story.
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That pun is sublime.

christopher3071 said:
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.
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I agree with 2. It's far too early to rule out royd rage.
 
.Andy said:
That pun is sublime.
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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."
 
"It's very odd," police spokesman Sgt. Evan Sailor said. "It's not normal; it's a little weird."
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"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."
 
Gelfin said:
"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."
Click to expand...


That's kinda what I was thinking too!
 
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
 
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