Community

On Sunday, February 21, 2016, at 8:16 p.m., the Fremont Police Department responded to a call of human remains found by people fishing near the Dumbarton Pier. Officers arrived and located a torso of an unidentified female on a levee near the end of Marshlands Rd in Fremont. The arms, legs and head were severed from the torso. On Tuesday evening, during a subsequent search of the marshland area, detectives found what is believed to be additional evidence connected to this case. Some of the evidence located is being processed by Fremont Police Crime Scene Investigators and some was collected by the Alameda County Coroner’s Office. The identity of the female, as well as the cause and manner of death, have not been confirmed by the Alameda County Coroner’s Office.

Detectives have temporarily halted their search in the marshland area and are following up on investigative leads. Earlier this morning, with the cooperation of the Brisbane Police Department, a search was conducted at the home of missing person Shelly Titchener, 57, of Brisbane. Shelly Titchener, was reported missing to Brisbane Police on February 15, 2016. While we cannot confirm the body found is that of Shelly Titchener, we also cannot rule it out. In addition to the search, Brisbane and Fremont Police were notified by the California Highway Patrol that Paul Titchener, the missing woman’s husband, had committed suicide by jumping from the San Francisco Bay Bridge late Tuesday evening. The now deceased Paul Titchener was not named as a suspect, but was a person of interest.

While the circumstances of the case and the identity of the female remain under investigation, family members of the Titchener’s have been notified of the status our investigation. Fremont detectives are continuing to work with the Brisbane Police Department and the Alameda County Coroner’s Office on this case.