Newport Beach Police have been working on a case that stretches back several months. On Monday September 2 the body of a woman was found under the Newport Bay Bridge. She was on the ground facedown. Investigators have identified the corpse as the body of 28-year-old Nancy Hammour.
An autopsy later confirmed that she was shot to death. The woman in question was from Santa Ana, and had previously been convicted of drug possession and prostitution. She is the second homicide victim discovered in 2013 by regular visitors to the beach. Earlier, in March, Tina Hoang was found dead.
The 20-year-old woman was facedown in the sand in West Newport when she was found in March. Hoang gave birth to a child in the months before her death. She also faced prostitution charges in the past, just like Hammour. Hoang's case is still under investigation, but a few police developments occurred in the meantime.
Jennifer Manzella spoke for the Newport Beach police, and said that there is no real reason to suggest that the two deaths were somehow connected. When Hammour's body was found on Labor Day, the Orange County Sheriff's Department got involved. They sent divers to search the waters under the bridge.
Police declined to comment when they were asked whether any evidence was collected as a result of these operations. They are however looking for anyone who might have more information about the cases.
Court records indicated that Hammour pleaded guilty when charged with misdemeanor prostitution and drunk driving charges back in 2008. In January of this year she pleaded guilty to a felony charge. It involved the possession of a controlled substance, and she was placed on probation for three years. She was ordered to attend a diversion program for 18 months after that. The probation was revoked in July, however, according to collections of court documents.
Reporters were unable to get Hammour's brother to comment on the situation. Other family members said that Hammour was trying to turn her life around. Apparently she wanted to regain custody of her infant son. Her sister said she also has a 10-year-old son as well.