The mystery of the dismembered head discovered last Tuesday on a popular Hollywood hiking trail, followed soon after by a pair of severed hands and feet, has turned a normally unflinching town obsessed. Police have now revealed the victim's identity; might their questioning of area resident Brad Pitt led them to this major break in the case? Probably not, but it's fun to imagine it did.
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Coroner's officials revealed on Friday that the victim is 66-year old Hervey Medellin (pictured), the LA Times reports, identified via fingerprints taken from one of the hands. Medellin was a retired employee of Mexicana Airlines who lived in a Hollywood apartment not far from Bronson Canyon Park, the wooded, hilly trail where a dog retrieved the plastic bag containing Medellin's head and brought it to his owner. The hands and feet were discovered in the following days, after a massive search of the area by 120 police and firefighters. The feeling was that the body parts, all in good condition, were from a "fresh kill" that occurred elsewhere, and were dumped in Bronson Canyon just days before the discovery.
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Police are being tight-lipped, but have acknowledged that one search warrant was served in Hollywood Friday night, though they wouldn't confirm if it was to Medellin's apartment. KTLA reports at least one resident in the building was questioned, however, and that a silver Honda was towed from the apartment on Thursday evening.
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Neighbors, too, have been questioned with regard to the case, including none other than Se7en star Brad Pitt:
In addition to scouring the park, police have questioned people who live in the area.
One of those residents is actor Brad Pitt.
The LAPD confirmed that his body guard was interviewed in their search for leads, along with dozens of other residents.
At least we can all breathe a sigh of relief that it wasn't Gwyneth Paltrow's head. Right? Take it away, Detective Mills:
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