large tattoo featuring an eagle and a tiger could be the key to identifying a man believed bludgeoned to death and the body dumped in Melbourne's east

large tattoo featuring an eagle and a tiger could be the key to identifying a man believed bludgeoned to death and the body dumped in Melbourne's east.Police have issued an image of the distinctive tattoo on the badly decomposed body, found by a former policeman on a dirt road at Park Orchards on Friday evening.The black ink tattoo, covering the man's entire back, features a roaring tiger with a swooping eagle above it and surrounded by swirling designs and clouds.An autopsy was held on the body - believed to be that of a middle-aged man - on Saturday, but the cause of death has yet to be established.It's estimated he died about two weeks ago, Homicide Squad acting Senior Sergeant Wayne Cheesman told reporters on Saturday."Because of the state of decomposition we are still doing some forensic tests to establish the race of the person," he said."We do believe it's male, possibly 175cm tall, we know the person had probably had long shoulder length black hair."There is severe trauma to the person's head, so we believe he's been struck a number of times by a heavy blunt object.The retired police officer and his wife who found the body had noticed a foul smell in the area for a fortnight.When they went to investigate, they found a leg protruding out of some plastic and bedding wrapped around a body.There were two diamond earrings in the left ear - one a silver diamond stud. Reading glasses were found in wrapping around the body."We are going through our missing persons reports and our records on tattoos, so hopefully we can make some progress through our forensic testing and those inquiries," Sgt Cheesman said."We also ask for people to come forward ... any help makes our job easier."If anyone in the area in the last two weeks saw cars coming or going, anything suspicious, call Crime Stoppers."
It was the third body found in Victoria in recent days, but Sgt Cheesman said he did not believe they were in any way linked.A man's body was also found on the Mornington Peninsula and another was washed up on a beach at French Island."It's a busy time for us but there is no indication they are connected," Sgt Cheesman said.