Oak Tree Where Woman's Body Was Found Has Reputation in Beaumont

The remains of a woman found July 15 in a shallow grave north of Beaumont were located under the same sprawling oak that shelters the ruins of an old stone house, a sheriff's spokeswoman said Friday.

The graffiti-plastered ruins, party trash, ashy fire pits, and discarded furniture indicate the site is still a place where some people hang out, drink beer, get stoned, or dump all kinds of refuse.

The site is known to some locals simply as "the Oak Tree," and it has a reputation in Beaumont that reaches back at least a few decades.

"It is my understanding the grave was located directly under that tree," Jodi Miller of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said Friday night. "The tree with the stone structure under it."

More details emerged late Thursday about the unidentified woman, but who she was and how she died remained a mystery, according to San Bernardino County sheriff's and coroner's officials.

The shallow grave under the old oak are west of Mile High Ranch Road, just north of the Riverside County line. South of the county line, Mile High Ranch Road is known as Avenida Miravilla - and it is the only paved route to get near the old oak and the stone ruins.

Avenida Miravilla and Mile High Ranch Road ascend a north-south trending, flat-topped ridge that stands between two deep canyons - Wallace Creek on the west and Noble Creek on the east.

Given the topography, it's clear that most visitors to the oak tree over the years came from the south, and what is now Riverside County, not from the east or west. There are no bridges or paved roads crossing the deep canyons on each side Mile High Ranch Road.

New information that may help identify the woman from the grave includes a distinctive, color tattoo of "two red roses from a single stem" on her right forearm and wrist, according to a coroner's update released late Thursday.

"Following a forensic examination on Wednesday, July 20, 2011, it was determined that the White or Hispanic female decedent was approximately 5'4", and weighed between 185 to 210 lbs," the coroner's update said.

"She had dark brown shoulder-length hair (possibly dyed) and brown eyes. She was clad in a dark tank-top and sports bra combination with pink lace scalloping around neck, blue denim pants, and black Nike shoes (women's US size 8.5)," the update said.

"A color tattoo was observed to her right forearm/wrist area, depicting two red roses from a single stem. Due to decomposition changes, age can only be estimated preliminarily between 25 and 60 years – but additional examinations to narrow this range are under way," the update said.

"Cause of death cannot be determined, pending additional laboratory tests. Fingerprints are available, but are of insufficient quality to be compared in the usual state and national databases. Dental records will be developed for comparison, and DNA profiles will be uploaded to the state and national databases," the update said.

The body discovery was reported to San Bernardino County sheriff's deputies just after 11 a.m. July 15, according to homicide investigators.

A Riverside County sheriff's deputy notified San Bernardino County authorities of a body near Mile High Ranch Road, north and west of Noble Creek, investigators said.

The body was in a shallow grave and homicide investigators initially could not determine age, gender or race of the deceased, sheriff's officials said.

Anyone with information about the possible identity of the victim was urged to call the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department - Coroner Division at (909) 387-2978.

The death was also being reviewed by San Bernardino County sheriff's Specialized Investigations detectives.

Tipsters were urged to call Detective Ryan Ford or Sergeant Jim Cornell at (909) 387-3589. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463), or leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.