Getting a Leg Up

"The Leg" is back. The SJ-R's body part of choice is making headlines in the Springfield daily again.

The woman whose severed legs were found near Divernon a month ago today had five tiny rhinestones decorating the big toe on her right foot.

She also had a French pedicure and a tattoo on her upper thigh, near her hip.

Authorities released color photographs Wednesday of the partial tattoo and her toe, as well as a depiction of what the decorated toe probably looked like prior to the woman's death.

[snip]

She had a French pedicure of light pink nail polish with white tips and five rhinestones attached to the top of the big toe. Only one rhinestone still was on the nail when the remains were found. The rhinestones were arranged across the nail at the base of the white tip.

Investigators have been unable to identify the design of the partial tattoo. It was on her upper right inner thigh near her hip. The leg was severed at that location, making identification difficult. The partial tattoo is about 2 1/2 inches wide and has pink, yellow and black ink. It appears to be two curly-cues extending from the bottom center of something.

Investigators have shown the design to tattoo experts, but they were unable to identify the markings. DNA tests have not resulted in any matches. Authorities continue to comb missing-persons and body-parts databases maintained by state and federal agencies, but have had no luck so far.

Previously, Santa Anna's prosthetic leg was Springfield's most famous detached appendage. It now has some competition.