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FD-350 (Rev, 7-16-63) vA » a or” | Remains Are Flown Out; Decomposition Prevents Any Early Identification RY PAUL HOUSTON Tintes Staff Writer ry s | The decomposed body of a nude | in cama tua, Jone man—possibly that of missing attor- ney Ronald Hughes—was recovered from a creek in Ventura County ‘Monday and flown to a mortuary in -panta Paula for identification, , A 12-man search team was ‘shuttled into the rugged wilderness area in a Navy helicopter to retrieve the body. Ii was taken to Skillins Mortuary, Lt. Robert Hindman of the Ventu- ta County Sheriff's Department said ‘the body was so badly decomposed that no immediate identification was Jikely, Searchers at the scene said, however, the description fitted ‘that of Hughes. "It appears as though he may jhave been a fairly large person but ‘there's no way to make identifica- tion without dental and fingerprint comparison," said Dep. Coroner (Merle Peters. "Nor can we tell if there are signs of foul play without a closer identification." Several trout, fishermen found the body Saturday but waited until Sun- [day to report it because, one said,) ~~ "we didn't want to spoil our trip." Two of the fishermen said in in- iterviews the body was lying face ‘down in knee-deep Sespe Creek with ihe head wedged between large: yrocks, | | Thus, they said, it was impossible 'to tell if the face bore the full set of { whiskers characteristic of Hughes, the 35-year-old, 250-pound attorney for Leslie Van Houten in the Tate- La Bianca murder trial. : : However, the fishermen said, lon ‘hair was visible (Hughes wore hi col ta) and the besvauaslst of a Beco. nt man, Body Found Wedged in Cree May Be Missing Tate Attorney's One tishermay, Dox, Chessman, 49, of 147 S.| Brand Blvd, Glendale, said the right arm was missing “but the hody was! | not decomposed, apparent- ly because of the oe water." Chessman and his Bledel Wells, 47, of 1329 Loreto; Drive, Glendale, said they | saw no signs of foul play, on the body, Chessman and Wells, said that they and four’ other fishermen spotted the body Saturday when they hiked into a remote spot known as the Nar- , Lows, ' It is a rocky, stecp-! walled channel] seven, miles southeast of Sespel HUTS PPin g SWITeT e: —{ Hughes was last seen four months ago. —— ' Search parties never turned up any trace of Hughes in the Sespe Hot Springs area or, last week, at a Death Valley ranch , once used as a hangout for | the Charles Manson "fami- ly." An anonymous Gallet) [ig Hughes a aman ‘the ran | {Indicate page, name of newspaper, city and state.) ' I-3 Los Angeks Times Los Angeles, Calif, 3/30/71 Tuesday Final Date: Edition: Author: Editor; Title: Character: or Classificatian;: Submitting Office: Los Angeles (_] Being Investigated bB2b67 1'7- L SERIALIZED pes FILED. Lig ridst eS eae LOS ANGELES |