[DiamondSmiles]

Authorities say a hunting party discovered a suitcase containing human remains in a wooded area of Atlantic County, New Jersey Sunday afternoon.

The suitcase was found at approximately 1:30 p.m. behind the Shore Mall site near Broadway Avenue in Egg Harbor Township.

One of the hunters, a local police officer, immediately contacted authorities to report the discovery.

Despite the advanced stage of decomposition, authorities were able to determine that the victim was female. Several tattoos on the victim were also identified.

The victim's age and race have not yet been determined.

The State Medical Examiner's Office collected the remains and is currently completing an autopsy. A State Medical Anthropologist is also being consulted.

The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit in conjunction with the Egg Harbor Township Police Department are currently investigating the incident as a homicide.

Anyone who has any information pertaining to this case is asked to call the Major Crimes Unit at 609-909-7666.


**UPDATE** Police Hope Tattoos Will Help ID Woman Found Behind Shore Mall

Action News

EGG HARBOR, NJ - January 6, 2014 (WPVI) -- The Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office is seeking assistance from the public in identifying the remains of a female victim found in the woods behind the Shore Mall in Egg Harbor Township Sunday afternoon.

The tattoos pictured below were located on the victim's right wrist and on the top of the right foot.

Anyone who recognizes these tattoos is asked to call the Major Crimes Unit at 609-909-7666.

[Pyramid_Head]

She was in bad shape.

[Shakey]

[Pigeon]

I bet she didn't consider what a practical choice she was making when she got those tatts.

[DiamondSmiles]

Originally Posted by Pigeon ↗

I bet she didn't consider what a practical choice she was making when she got those tatts.

The skin on which the tattoos are shown look like two different races to me, so I can see the confusion with that.

There was a case of a male body part found in a dumpster and the girlfriend identified him by that one piece, which had a tattoo.

One of my brothers told me to always match my fingernail and toenail polish, in case I was ever chopped up

[shinycatcreations]

Update.. the tattoo pics worked.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?id=9385156

EGG HARBOR TWP., N.J. - January 8, 2014 (WPVI) -- Atlantic County Police have launched an investigation into the discovery of a woman's body stuffed in a suitcase in Egg Harbor Township.

The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Tara Rogers Alicea of Monroeville, New Jersey.

The remains were found at approximately 1:30 p.m. Sunday by a hunting party in the woods behind the Shore Mall site near Broadway Avenue.

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STORY: Body found in suitcase in Egg Harbor Twp.
"She was not a bad person. Just because our kids get involved with drugs, doesn't make them bad," said Sona Turner.
Sona Turner mourns the loss of her daughter, Tara Rogers-Alicea, a 31-year-old mother of three.

Alicea's remains were found stuffed in a suitcase late Sunday in Egg Harbor Township by a Margate policeman who was deer hunting in the woods on private property.

Police say the victim was initially identified from photographs of tattoos released to the public.

Detectives confirmed the identity based on finger print analysis. DNA analysis is also in progress.

The New Jersey Medical Examiner's Office has ruled the cause of Alicea's death as asphyxiation with strangulation and ruled her death a homicide.

Alicea, a licensed medical assistant, had not contacted her family since the summer. She told her friends she was staying at the Borgata's Water Club in Atlantic City.

Her family says they knew she was addicted to heroin and hanging with a bad crowd in Atlantic City.

"She was loved by everybody. She was a great mother. She just had that sickness, that illness, and it just overwhelmed her, and she just couldn't get rid of it," said Turner.

Relatives had reported Alicea missing in October. A family friend told them he saw her in a casino in late November.

The homicide is under investigation by the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit in conjunction with the Egg Harbor Township Police Department.

Police and family members are asking the public for help.

"If they know anything, please come forward and let police know, because they are investigating. Any help they can get would be very much appreciated," said Jack Alicea, former brother-in-law.

Anyone who has any information pertaining to this case or has noticed any suspicious activity in the area is asked to call the Major Crimes Unit at 609-909-7666.