Person of interest identified after woman's body found on Hollywood Beach: Police

After a woman’s body was found in the sand in Hollywood Beach, a person of interest connected to the case was identified, police said on Saturday.

According to Hollywood Police, on Friday morning, officers arrived at Cleveland Street after beachgoers reported that a body was in the sand.

Once at the scene, officers and crews with Hollywood Fire Rescue pronounced the woman dead.

Police said the woman was identified and next of kin were notified.

While the cause of the woman’s death was not released, police believe there was foul play.

Police said they believe that the person of interest and the woman knew each other. Their identities haven’t been released.

Aerial images on Friday showed the person’s body partially covered by a white tarp on the sand.

One beachgoer said he heard that the deceased was a younger female.

After the body was taken away, Hollywood Police taped off another crime scene about 100 yards away.

One witness said they saw blood.

“There was a blood trail from like where all the roads intersect down there, all the way up to the fountain because then I found it across the street,” she said.

Meanwhile, a visitor from Cincinnati said police told her it was a “suspicious” death, and that she was asked if she had seen anything the night before.

“I, too, thought maybe it was a drowning, but looking at the way the body was laying, you could tell it wasn’t a drowning. [The officer] said… whoever was out there was definitely murdered,” another woman said. “It’s extremely sad, and I feel horrible for whoever lost a loved one.”

NBC6 spoke to other tourists, who gave their thoughts on the situation.

“Looking at the way the body was laying, you could tell it wasn’t a drowning, and he said it’s definitely, whoever was out there was definitely murdered,” Valerie Carr said.

The investigation is ongoing.