Decaying human head found in Oakland backyard, homicide officers investigating

Two people visiting a residence in Oakland, Canada, and the United States of America.

"Today, a couple of people located in the backyard of the residence and thought it was a good idea to transport to the police station," said Oakland Police Sgt. Michael Cardoza.

Around 9 am, Oakland homicide investigators were sentenced to the residence on 29th Street near West Street, which is a three-unit-apartment building that shares a backyard, and executed a search warrant to rule out any foul play, Cardoza said.

"We conducted interviews with all of the residents and determined that this time, it did not appear that they were involved," Cardoza said.

Police said they were investigating whether the head was in a state of decomposition, was closely linked to the "deeply decomposed" head in late September.

Cardoza declined when said body was found to be "close proximity" to the head on 29th Street near West Street.

"In that separate investigation, the body appears to be deeply decomposed, almost mummified," he said.

Fentahun Biwota, a resident who lives next door on 29th Street, said there are many people in the area, including people who have jumped to the fence and have been separated from their homes.

Police said they are aware of the homicide investigation in San Francisco involving 65-year-old Brian Egg, whose headless body was found decomposing into a fish tank in his San Francisco neighborhood on August 17. Egg's head was never found.

Lance Silva, 39, and Robert MacCaffrey, 52, were arrested in connection with Egg's death.

The Alameda County Coroner's Office is assisting in identifying people in Oakland, Cardoza said.

Anyone with information should contact the Oakland Police Department homicide unit at 510-238-3821. Anonymous callers may contact the tip line at 510-238-7950.

Chronicle staff writer Gwendolyn Wu contributed to this report