Man's body found inside suitcase floating in Northern California lake

OAKLAND, Calif. (TCD) -- Police in Northern California are investigating a homicide after fire personnel discovered a man's body inside a suitcase that had been floating in a local lake.

According to KTVU-TV, on Tuesday, Oct. 31, at approximately 11 a.m., Oakland Fire Department officials were called to Lake Merritt after a volunteer who cleans up the lake noticed the suitcase. The volunteer who found the body, Kevin Shomo, told KTVU he and another volunteer pulled the case closer to them using net poles. They noticed the case was "too heavy," so once they got it to shore, they unzipped it and found the body.

Shomo described the man as being in "kind of like in a fetal position."

NBC Bay Area reports Shomo said he was "surprised that there was a body in the luggage."

Oakland Police Capt. Alan Yu told the news station investigators are trying to determine "where the body could have floated from. It could be any part of the lake."

Shomo said it's not unusual to see suitcases or other pieces of luggage in the lake. Most of the time, however, they are filled with clothes that get waterlogged.

Homicide detectives are investigating and have not publicly identified the victim.

MORE:

• Man's body found stuffed in a suitcase in Lake Merritt, residents speak out - KTVU
• Human remains stuffed in a suitcase found in Lake Merritt, residents speak out - KTVU YouTube
• Body found in suitcase in Oakland's Lake Merritt - NBC Bay Area