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Detailed text transcripts for TV channel - DW - 20190125:07:28:30 archive.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from archive.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
More than 50 years between them. but nothing like the case that literally floated to them on a lonely reach of ocean out by catalina. would never have had the case at all, except we were lucky that we had some boaters leaving newport beach going to catalina island and they came upon a body floating in the water. just happened to see it? just happened to see it. that s a big ocean out there. absolutely. so the chances of it being seen are, what, needle in the haystack? very slim. reporter: the sailors had spotted a flock of shrieking seagulls perched on top of a body. it looked like it had been in the water for some time. it was in extreme decomposition phase. right. bloated and barnacles had attached themselves. barnacles already? absolutely. yes. reporter: there was no i.d. on the body. it was labeled a john doe and taken to the l.a. coroner s office. well, initially it was believed to be a drowning victim. reporter: but who was he? identifyin ....
reporter: down below the surface of the pacific ocean, on the far side of california s catalina island, is a silent current. strange, how it flows up to the swelling coastline of santa barbara. then, just before the open sea, turns back to glide again past this storied island. with, one sunny day in may 2006, someone in it. i have a saying that i d rather be lucky than good. reporter: ken clark is a detective with the l.a. sheriff s department. been at it a long time. as has robert martindale. more than 50 years between them. but nothing like the case that literally floated to them on a lonely reach of ocean out by catalina. would never have had the case at all, except we were lucky that we had some boaters leaving newport beach going to catalina island ....
But nothing like the case that floated to them on a lonely reach of ocean out by catalina. would never have had the case at all except we were lucky that we had some boaters leaving newport beach going the catalina island. they came up on a body floating the the water. just happened to see it. just happened to see it. yes. that s a big ocean out there. the chances of it being seen are need until a hay stack. very slim. reporter: the say lloris found a flock of screeching sea gulls perched on top of the body. it was in extreme decomposition face. barnacles had attached. reporter: barnacles already? it was labeled a john doe. it was believed to initially be a drowning vick. . reporter: but who was he? identifying the john doe posed a huge challenge. we could only say it was a human being. ....
Literally floated to them on a lonely reach of ocean out by catalina. would never have had the case at all, except we were lucky that we had some boaters leaving newport beach going to catalina island and they came upon a body floating in the water. just happened to see it? just happened to see it. that s a big ocean out there. absolutely. so the chances of it being seen are, what, needle in the haystack? very slim. reporter: the sailors had spotted a flock of shrieking seagulls perched on top of a body. it looked like it had been in the water for some time. it was in extreme decomposition phase. right. bloated and barnacles had attached themselves. barnacles already? absolutely. yes. reporter: there was no i.d. on the body. it was labeled a john doe and taken to the l.a. coroner s office. well, initially it was believed to be a drowning victim. reporter: but who was he? identifying their john doe posed a huge challenge. we could only say it ....