Two Belmont Shore Beach Area Deaths Appear Unrelated: Man Found Fatally Shot Near Water's Edge Appears Suicide, Woman Found Dead In Nearby SUV Appears From Natural Causes, PD Says, But Investigations Ongoing<

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UPDATE: Two Belmont Shore Beach Area Deaths Appear Unrelated: Man Found Fatally Shot Near Water's Edge Appears Suicide, Woman Found Dead In Nearby SUV Appears From Natural Causes, PD Says, But Investigations Ongoing

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(Dec. 5, 2016, last updated 7:07 p.m. from initial 9:15 a.m.) -- LBPD says it appears that the deaths of a man and a woman -- the man found fatally shot on a Belmont Shore area beach, the woman found deceased in a relatively nearby parked SUV -- appear to be unrelated: the man's death is a suspected suicide; the woman appears to have died from natural causes.

In a release at early evening Dec, 5, LBPD states:

[Scroll down for further below.]

[LBPD release text] On Monday, December 5, 2016, at approximately 5:50 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 5400 block of E. Ocean Boulevard regarding the deceased body of a male adult, which led to the finding of a deceased female adult in a vehicle nearby.
When officers arrived, they located the body of a 43-year-old male on the sand near the shoreline, who had sustained a gunshot wound to his upper body. As officers were investigating this incident, they located the body of a 49-year-old female inside a blue Ford Explorer, which was parked at the south curb of Ocean Boulevard. Not knowing if the incidents were related, two independent investigations were launched, and the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office responded to assist Homicide detectives with both cases. Based on the preliminary findings, the investigators do not believe there is any connection between these two cases, however, the investigations continue.
It appears the male subject may have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Long Beach Search & Rescue responded and conducted a land search of the area around where the body was found. Due to his body being found close to the shoreline, the LBPD Port Police Dive Team also responded and conducted a grid search of the nearby water, however, no firearm was located by either team.
In relation to the female, it appears she may have died of natural causes. There were no obvious signs of trauma to her body, and she was in an extreme state of poor health. Detectives believe she may have been homeless and living out of her vehicle.
The LA County Coroner’s Office will release the victims' identities pending notification of next of kin, and will also determine official causes of death.

LBPD PIO Pratt told LBREPORT.com that it's not clear if the suspected suicide occurred in the water, or near the water, and LBPD was conducting a painstaking "grid" search to try and locate the gun (which may or may not have been washed elsewhere or out to sea.)

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PIO Pratt says the woman's SUV was parked along the south side of Ocean Blvd. approximately [very rough estimate] half a dozen car lengths from the area where the man was found deceased, and she appears to have died from natural causes.

Identification of the individuals and the official causes of their deaths will be made by the L.A. County Coroner's office.

(Dec. 5, 2016, initial 9:15 a.m.) -- Shortly before dawn today (Dec. 5), a man was found deceased on the Belmont Shore beach with an apparent gunshot wound and a woman was found deceased in a vehicle parked nearby. LBPD homicide investigators are on-scene and initial information is sketchy.

LBPD Public Information Officer Sgt. Brad Johnson tells LBREPORT.com [caveat: preliminary information] that at about 5:50 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 5400 block of E. Ocean Blvd. (area Bay Shore/54th Pl.) regarding a deceased person on the beach and found a dead man with an apparent gunshot wound. While conducting their investigation, officers found a deceased female inside an SUV parked nearby. It's currently unknown if the two are related.