Crime & Safety
Husband of Missing Woman Jumps from Bay Bridge After TV Interview; Body Parts Found
The 57-year-old from Brisbane, CA was reported missing Feb. 15. Her husband died after jumping Tuesday from the Bay Bridge.
PHOTO: Image of Shelly Titchener issued as a missing-person alert earlier this month by the Brisbane Police Department.
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FREMONT, CA - Fremont police said Wednesday the dismembered torso found on a levee in Fremont Sunday evening may belong to a 57-year-old Brisbane woman who was reported missing Feb. 15.
The grisly discovery was made by a group of people fishing at the Dumbarton Pier, around 8:15 p.m. Sunday, near the end of Marshlands Road. The arms, legs and head had been severed from the torso by the time it was reported and investigators were uncertain how long the torso had been in the water.
The identity of the victim has not yet been confirmed, but investigators say it’s too soon to rule out the possibility that it may be Shelly Titchener, who was last seen Feb. 15 at a Nordstrom in San Mateo.
Her husband, Paul Titchener, died by suicide Tuesday evening jumping from the San Francisco Bay Bridge, according to the California Highway Patrol. He was a person of interest, but not named as a suspect, police said.
When Shelly Titchener’s missing-person case originally was filed— by her husband— police were told she suffered from a medical condition and did not have her medication, nor did she take her cell phone or laptop with her.
During a Tuesday search of the Fremont marsh area after the discovery of the female torso, detectives found ”additional evidence connected to this case” -- some of which is being processed by Fremont law enforcement and some by the Alameda County Coroner’s Office, according to officers.
Officers Wednesday morning conducted a search of Shelly Titchener’s home in Brisbane, police said, but did not disclose any findings.
“While we cannot confirm the body found is that of Shelly Titchener, we also cannot rule it out,” Fremont authorities said in a statement.
Fremont detectives and the Brisbane Police Department are working with the Alameda County coroner on this case. The coroner has not yet confirmed the cause of death.
“We understand you are very concerned, however, please be aware this case is still under investigation,” the Brisbane Police Department said in a statement Wednesday evening.
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--Bay City News contributed to this report
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