They say that desperate times call for desperate measures and it would seem like there isn’t many people who could claim to be more desperate than a killer looking to get rid of a victim’s corpse. Some killers flee the scene and leave the body behind, others look for a secluded location to dump a victim’s remains, but the killers we’ll talk about today seemed to go above and beyond when scouting for a prime location to hide the bodies of their unfortunate victims.
Hotel Water Tank
In January of 2013, the body 21-year-old Elisa Lam had been found in one of the water tanks of the Hotel Cecil after guests raised concerns about the odd taste of the water there. Lam, who was later learned to have been suffering from bi-polar disorder, could be seen on surveillance footage from the hotel’s elevator acting erratically and it was reported that her roommate had asked to switch rooms because of the alleged bizarre behavior Lam had been displaying within the days leading up to her death. It is unclear whether Lam had willingly climbed into the water tank located on the hotel’s roof or if someone had intentionally put her there. An autopsy revealed that Lam had no drugs or alcohol in her system, as well as no wounds to suggest that she was met with foul play. What is known is that her body had been inside the tank for roughly 19 days before anyone had a chance to discover it. Police continue to investigate the case as a homicide until more details emerge to suggest otherwise.
Apartment Walls
Raven Joy Campbell had been reported as missing from her apartment located within a Los Angeles-area public housing project in July of 2009. Almost six years to the day later her body was found within the walls of the apartment she had lived in after police received an anonymous tip. Tenant’s of the apartment had complained of the smell, but maintenance workers had been unable to locate the source of the odor prior to the discovery of the woman’s body. Raven had been bludgeoned with a hammer and placed within the walls. Her former roommate was arrested in February of 2016 and charged with her murder.
Two L.A. Sewage Plants
In yet another bizarre case out of Los Angeles, a woman’s remains were uncovered after parts of her corpse turned up in two different sewage plants contracted to service the city. Investigators believe that someone had dumped the body of 27-year-old Erin Lynn Cruz in a manhole near the San Gabriel Valley-area. The pumps within the sewer lines are believed to have pulled the body apart as it traveled through the sewage system, resulting in portions of her body being found at the two separate plants. Public records revealed that Cruz had been picked up on drug charges in the past, but authorities are still uncertain as to why anyone would have wanted to kill the woman.
A Backyard Toy Chest
In 2013, a landlord cleaning out the home of recently evicted tenants stumbled upon a gruesome discovery. Inside a toy chest located in a structure attached to the home contained the skeletal remains of a 3-year-old boy. The boy has tentatively been identified as Roman Berreras. The couple who rented the portion of the triplex – Raquel and Martin Berreras – allegedly forced the child to live in the attached structure. Children’s Services had previously been involved with the family after receiving reports of the couple’s older children frequently missing school, but no evidence had surfaced to suggest any form of abuse at the time. Three of the couple’s surviving minor children were placed into protective custody as an investigation on the toddler’s death continues.
Under a Cross
In 1955, construction began on the Holy Land USA amusement park. The 18-acre park located in Waterbury, Connecticut consisted of a chapel, reconstructions of Biblical locations, and featured a giant illuminated stainless steel cross overlooking the park. Eventually the park’s business model became unsustainable and in 1984 the park closed its doors to the public. Even after the park’s closure, the spot remained a popular spot for urban explorers and locals to gather.
In 2010, 16-year-old Chloe Ottoman agreed to accompany Francisco Cruz on a stroll around the abandoned park. It was under the glow of the illuminated cross that Cruz would rape and strangle Chloe to death. Cruz fled the scene, leaving Chloe’s body behind. Court officials tasked with sentencing Cruz to 55-years in prison for Chloe’s death called it the most sadistic and depraved murder they had ever encountered.