Police Seek to Identify Woman in Apparent Suicide by Burning

Police are trying to determine the identity of a young woman who apparently burned herself to death early Monday in a Panorama City parking lot, police said.

The charred remains of a white female, who was burned beyond recognition, were discovered about 3 a.m. in the parking lot of Panorama Presbyterian Church on Roscoe Boulevard, Los Angeles Police Detective Pat Anguiano said.

The dead woman appeared to be between 16 and 20 years old; about 5 feet, 2 inches tall, and 100 pounds, Anguiano said. Paramedics, summoned by a resident who spotted the flames, pronounced her dead.

“Although we have not entirely ruled out homicide,” Anguiano said, “we have every reason to believe it was a suicide.”

Investigators believe that the death was a suicide “because of the placement of the body and the way the flammable liquid was placed,” Anguiano said.

Photograph, Clothing Found

Only a photograph presumed to be that of the dead woman and a few articles of clothing were found near the body, Detective Robert Womack said. No purse was found.

In an unsuccessful effort to identify the woman, he said police on Monday circulated the photo to nearby businesses and homes.

He said that police were awaiting the results of laboratory tests to determine what type of flammable liquid ignited the blaze.

The Los Angeles County coroner’s office will conduct an autopsy on the body today, spokesman Bill Gold said.