Fishermen Find Dismembered Body in Southeastern Texas

HEMPSTEAD, Texas (TheBlaze/AP) -- A sheriff says fishermen found a human torso in a black garbage bag under a bridge in southeastern Texas, and detectives are looking for the missing head and limbs.

Waller County Sheriff Glenn Smith says authorities do not know the gender of the remains and are hoping that distinctive marks such as tattoos will help identify the body. Smith says DNA samples will be taken.

"This with dismemberment, placed in a bag, put in a location, you know even to the point of a location what I am going to say has a significant amount of travel. It would almost appear that they would want that body found maybe to send a message," Smith told KBTX-TV. "And and that goes back to your drug cartel, gangs, different things like that."

The fishermen found the torso on the edge of the Brazos River near Hempstead, about 50 miles northwest of Houston, around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, KTRK-TV reported.

Smith says detectives are searching for other body parts in the area and that it will be difficult to identify the person without a head or hands for fingerprints. However, authorities did say that after examining the torso it appeared the body had been there for several days.

The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an autopsy.