Burned Body Discovered at Motel : Death: Remains found in room intentionally set afire. Police don’t know yet whether it’s murder or suicide.

A body burned beyond recognition was discovered early Saturday in the charred remains of a Westminster motel room that was intentionally set on fire with gasoline.

Police said they were investigating the death as a murder but had not ruled out suicide.

Westminster Police Sgt. Mark Groh said the victim, believed to be a man, could not be immediately identified.

An autopsy was scheduled for today.)

Groh said firefighters put out the 7:15 a.m. blaze in Room 108 of the Newland Motel, then found the body lying face up in the center of the floor with a gasoline can beside it.

The body and the carpeting at the center of the room were the most severely burned, Groh said, leading investigators to believe both had been doused with the gasoline.

“The fire was huge, but it was limited to the one room,” said Groh, who described the motel as residential, at 14041 Newland Ave., next to a low-income apartment complex.

Groh said that a man had checked into the room Friday night, but, “we’re not sure if he’s the victim, the suspect, or none of the above.”

Residents of the motel told police they had seen the man come and go but no one knew him.

After firefighters determined the victim was dead, the motel room was resealed until detectives could obtain a warrant to re-enter and search the unit.

Workers reached by phone at the Newland Motel declined to discuss the fire.