The thriller lady whose bikini-clad physique was discovered stuffed in a trash bag by a gaggle of spearfisherman off Florida’s Gulf Coast has been recognized as 34-year-old Heather Rose Strickland.
Strickland’s physique was discovered wrapped in bedding and a plastic trash bag, floating 13 miles off the coast of Egmont Key on the mouth of Tampa Bay, round 12:40pm on Saturday.
A bunch of spearfisherman made the ugly discovery after they minimize open the bag and noticed the red-headed, green-eyed lady’s physique. The fisherman, nonetheless, may solely make out that it was a human corpse that had some sort of bra strap or bikini strap hooked up to it.
Strickland, who additionally glided by the identify Cherry Rose Strickland, was final seen on December 5 leaving HCA Florida Largo Hospital positioned on 14th Road Southwest. It’s not clear why she was within the hospital or if any of her family members have been in search of her.
5 days later, her physique was discovered.
Heather Rose Strickland’s physique was discovered wrapped in bedding and a plastic trash bag, floating 13 miles off the coast of Egmont Key on the mouth of Tampa Bay, round 12:40pm on Saturday
Strickland went to Cape Coral Excessive College and is pictured right here on September 2015
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), who took over the investigation for the reason that physique was present in federal waters, at the moment are calling her dying ‘suspicious,’ WFLA Information reported.
It’s not clear how Strickland’s stays wound up within the ocean, however authorities are awaiting the toxicology report to find out her explanation for dying.
She was initially from North Florida, has been residing within the Clearwater-St. Petersburg space for the previous few years, the FBI stated.
Strickland, who was additionally a mom, posted an assortment of images of her youngsters on her Fb web page over time. In a December 7, 2012 publish, she is proven holding an image of her new child with a person named Peter Cruz.
On March 2021, she is pictured together with her arm’s round an unidentified man in a publish that claims: ‘Its humorous how folks sit an speak dangerous to others on fb however thats okay im an amazing mother and love myself as nicely thats all that issues.’
On February 17, Strickland is proven in a sultry pose that gave the impression to be her final publish earlier than the information of her dying.
Strickland stood round 5 ft 5 inches tall and had two tattoos: one on the best aspect of her neck of the letters ‘B’ and ‘E’ written in Previous English Script. The second tattoo is a rose positioned on the skin of her proper thigh.
A map exhibiting the precise location the place Strickland was discovered
On February 17, Strickland posted this picture, which might be her final photograph earlier than her dying
This Fb publish was an earlier photograph of Strickland taken on July 27, 2016
A photograph of Strickland from March 2021 that exhibits her with an unidentified male (not pictured). Within the publish, she wrote: ‘Its humorous how folks sit an speak dangerous to others on fb however thats okay im an amazing mother and love myself as nicely thats all that issues’
The red-headed Strickland is seen in an image from February 16 standing alongside a automotive
The Coast Guard and the St. Petersburg Police Division have been on web site to get better the girl’s physique, who at that time was a Jane Doe.
Captain Dylan Hubbard was at a close-by marina when his crew heard the misery name coming from the vessel attempting to achieve the U.S. Coast Guard after discovering the physique.
Hubbard stated they known as the vessel after they heard the decision are available, however weren’t anticipating the captain’s response.
‘He stated, “You see that plastic trash bag in entrance of our boat? That is a lifeless physique,'” Hubbard recalled the captain telling him.
‘They’re on a small boat, it is up shut and private, you do not neglect that image,’ he stated in regards to the discovery of the physique.
However Hubbard added that he hopes this incident a minimum of offers the particular person’s household some closure.
The FBI stated the 34-year-old was initially from north Florida earlier than spending the final 5 years right here within the Tampa Bay space.
The FBI is asking for anybody with details about her dying to contact FBI Tampa Area Workplace at 813-253-1000 or ship a tip to suggestions.fbi.gov.
