Homicide detectives are concerned grim images posted online of a woman’s torso found floating in the Oshawa harbour earlier this week could hamper their investigation.

Durham Regional Police say the Sept. 11 discovery of the partial remains by a fisherman in Lake Ontario — at the bottom of Simcoe St. S. — have been deemed the region’s eighth murder of the year.

“Police are aware that pictures of the torso have been circulating on various social media platforms,” Const. George Tudos said Friday. “Investigators urge anyone with photographic evidence to contact them as soon as possible.”

“Police also urge people to refrain from posting such photographs on social media as this may interfere with the successful investigation of this homicide,” he added.

Tudos said investigators have been reviewing missing person reports in Durham and neighbouring jurisdictions, but they have yet to identify the victim.

And the results of an autopsy proved inconclusive, so how the woman died remains a mystery.

Anyone with new evidence or information about this incident should call Homicide detectives at 1-888-579-1520, ext. 5407 or 5319, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

cdoucette@postmedia.com