Coroner: More testing and analysis needed

A man walking a dog by the Berkeley Marina Monday found a bone that may be connected to two bodies found in the area, Contra Costa County coroner's officials said in a press conference Tuesday morning.

Jimmy Lee, a spokesman for the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department, said that investigators had not determined any connection between the bodies - one of an adult woman, the other of a baby boy - to the Modesto Police Department's Laci Peterson case.

Lee said that the coroner's office late Monday finished an autopsy on the body of an adult woman found that afternoon near Point Isabel Regional Shoreline, a few miles from the Berkeley Marina. "There is no obvious cause of death," Lee said. "We need to do more testing and analysis."

Officials also had not determined a cause of death for the baby boy, whose body was found Sunday, nor had they determined if the two bodies were connected, Lee said.

Peterson, 27, was eight months pregnant when she was reported missing Dec. 24. Her husband, Scott, told police he went fishing at the Berkeley Marina that day and could not find his wife when he returned to their Covena Avenue home.

Early today, Oakland Police contacted the sheriff's department about a bone found in the area Monday afternoon.

"(An Oakland) resident walking his dog in area of Berkeley Marina found the bone about 2:30 p.m." Lee said. The man took the bone home, then called police.

"We have custody of that bone here at coroner's division," Lee said. "We're trying to determine whether this is a human bone." For the complete story, see tomorrow's Bee or www.modbee.com.