Brigham City police reveal tattoo on human remains after autopsy fails to identify body

UPDATE 04/04/25: On April 4, the Brigham City Police Department said a distinct tattoo was seen on the human remains found in a garbage bag in Brigham City. Police released an artist rendition of the tattoo, which is heart-shaped and reported to be on the victim’s left bicep area.

“We are hopeful a friend or family member of the victim’s may recognize this tattoo, which could aid in the expediency of our investigation,” police said.

Additionally, police said that the remains had clothes consistent with a female, a black-hooded sweatshirt and leggings.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — An initial autopsy was conducted Thursday morning on the human remains found in a garbage bag in Brigham City, but the medical examiner was unable to confirm the person’s identity.

According to the Brigham City Police Department, the autopsy results could not identify the person’s age, race, ethnicity, or gender as the remains were in “a heavy state” of decomposition. The only identifying feature available is that the person had long reddish-brown hair pulled back with a hair tie.

Authorities confirmed an entire body was found in a garbage bag on Wednesday, April 2, near 2600 West Highway 13.

The department said the body was found as members of a construction crew were cleaning up their own garbage at the end of their day. They contacted police after deeming the bag “suspiciously heavy” and finding hair and bones inside.

Officials said the city currently does not have any reported missing persons, meaning the individual likely is from outside city boundaries. It is unclear how long the person has been deceased, with authorities saying it could be anywhere from weeks to years.

“It’s possible that [the body] was left somewhere else for an extended period of time and then dropped here more recently, but we don’t have that information yet,” Brigham City Detective Crystal Beck said.

Police are asking anyone with information or possible dashcam footage to contact them at 435-856-7023. They can also use 435-723-1244 to leave an anonymous message. Beck said they’ve already received several tips from the public, including one person offering possible footage.

“Even if you’ve been in the area recently and think that your dashcam doesn’t matter, it could be helpful,” Beck said.

Trevor Myers and Kade Garner contributed to this reporting.

Authorities believe they may have an update on the case tomorrow. ABC4 will update this post as new information becomes available.