Body Found in Bluff Encampment

By Jorge Casuso

Oct. 29 -- The body of a woman who appears to have been homeless was found in the bluffs of Palisades Park early Tuesday afternoon, but police have not determined if she was the victim of foul play.

The body -- which lay in what appeared to be an encampment -- was discovered shortly after noon near the intersection of Montana Avenue after a visitor to the park looked over the railing and spotted the body, said Lt. Frank Fabrega, the police department spokesman.

"I didn't see any trauma to the body," said Fabrega, who was at the scene. "The person appears to be homeless… There is no indication at this time if there was foul play or not."

The body was discovered in a "flat portion" of very rough terrain, where police found shoes, toiletries and miscellaneous clothing, Fabrega said. "It looked like an encampment," he said. "You could say somebody lived there."

The victim was only described as a white female. The Robbery/Homicide Unit of the Santa Monica Police Department is handling the investigation.

The discovery of the body comes three days after a woman was shot to death at the beach in Ocean Park, marking the city's seventh homicide, up from in two each of the past two years.

The 19-year-old victim -- identified as Tiffany Scott of Los Angeles -- was found Saturday night lying in the sand near a lifeguard tower between Bay Street and Hollister Avenue. Scott had several gunshot wounds to the stomach and chest.

Witnesses told police they saw two men wearing dark clothing running from the area shortly after they heard gunshots.

An autopsy conducted Tuesday by the County Coroner's Office determined that the cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds.