Body of blues star Elvin Bishop's daughter found

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) -- Body parts in duffel bags pulled from a California river have been tentatively identified as those of Selina Bishop, the 22-year-old daughter of blues guitarist Elvin Bishop, and an elderly couple reported missing on August 3, officials said Wednesday.

Officials confirmed the identification of the bodies, as three possible suspects -- including Selina Bishop's boyfriend -- were arraigned on separate charges.

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Contra Costa County Deputy District Attorney Hal Jewett asked Judge Michael Coleman to deny bail to Glenn Helzer, his brother, Justin Helzer, and Dawn Godman, saying they were "a threat to the public safety and there is significant evidence why they should not be released."

The grisly discovery of three duffel bags containing the dismembered bodies earlier this week came days after Elvin Bishop's ex-wife Jennifer Villarin and her boyfriend, James Gamble, were shot to death while house sitting at Selina Bishop's apartment in Marin County. Villarin was Selina's mother.

At the time, authorities said they had no immediate suspects in the crime and could not find Selina Bishop. In what appeared to be a separate case, Ivan Stineman, 85, and his wife Annette, 78, were reported missing on August 3.

Police arrested Bishop's boyfriend, Glenn Helzer, Monday on a number of charges, including suspicion of robbery and burglary. Justin Helzer and his girlfriend, Dawn Godman, were subsequently arrested on narcotics charges.

On Monday, a jet skier on the Mokelumne River in Sacramento County found a black duffel bag on the shore that contained what appeared to be a torso. At least two other duffel bags were later found, containing more body parts. Divers were searching for still more bags Wednesday.

While none of the three suspects has been officially charged with murder, law enforcement authorities indicated they believed it was only a matter of time.

Glenn Helzer apparently at one time was a stockbroker for the Stinemans, said Jewett, who added that money "is an ingredient of motive behind crimes."

Jewett told reporters it was harder to theorize about the apparent murder of Selina Bishop, whose father was best-known for his 1976 hit "Fooled Around and Fell In Love."

"It's a little more of a mystery why Selina met the end that she did," he said.

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