Crime & Safety

Police Investigating Santa Cruz County Homicide After Body Found

The victim, a Santa Cruz County resident, was missing since December.

The body was found Sunday.
The body was found Sunday. (Renee Fernandez/Patch)

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA β€” The Santa Cruz Police Department has identified a stabbing victim whose corpse was found Sunday by deputies as Santa Cruz County resident Douglass Murdock, 36. Murdock was reported missing to police in December, police said.

Santa Cruz County Sheriff's deputies found Murdock's corpse in a wooded area off of Glen Canyon Road, police said. Given the location and condition of the body, deputies called for an autopsy.

The autopsy determined Murdock was a homicide victim who had been stabbed, though the cause of death has not been determined.

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Police are investigating and following up with the sheriff's office and Santa Cruz County District Attorney.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call police investigators at 831-420-5820.

Find out what's happening in Santa Cruzfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

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