The Boyd County Coroner wants your help to identify a man discovered in the Ohio River early Thursday morning.
Catlettsburg Fire Chief Greg Payne told me that boats in the water first spotted the body around 6:30 am. It was floating in the river around the 1000 block in Catlettsburg. The boaters contacted the police and the body was retrieved from the water.
The Victim
The Chief said the body was a man, who appeared to be in his thirties. He’s described as:
- Approximately 5’10” to 6′ tall
- 175 to 200 lbs
- Short medium brown beard
- Very short medium brown hair
- Receding hairline
The Tattoo
The most important detail is a tattoo located on the back of his upper left arm just above the elbow. It reads ‘Bella” in script and is surrounded by three blue suns.
If anyone has any information, please contact Mark Hammond, Boyd County Coroner at 606-923-8309 or mark.hammond@bccoroner.com
Tattoos As A Police Tool
Tattoos are often used to help identify both victims and criminal suspects. Last year police identified the dismembered body of Tamara LaFramboise, 46, in Yankton, South Dakota after it was discovered by children walking a dog. Her killer mutilated her corpse in hopes of concealing her identity.
Human trafficking organizations often use tattoos to identify who a particular victim belongs to. It’s similar to the way that ranchers brand cattle.
Last year, researchers at the University of Nebraska called on tattoo artists to educate themselves and keep an eye out for designs commonly used by human traffickers. Those designs include:
- Bar codes
- Crowns
- Dollar signs
- Terms like “wifey”
These tattoos are sometimes on the back of the neck or arms but can be hidden inside lips or in the groin area.
The organization Rejuvenating Women is one of several survivors organizations that offer free tattoo removal for victims of sex trafficking.
