PACOIMA : Identity of Man Set Ablaze Is Released

Authorities said Thursday that the man whose body was found ablaze on the shoulder of the Foothill Freeway in Sylmar has been identified as a kidnap victim.

The victim was identified as Rory Petite, 38, of Pacoima,a LAPD Lt. Joseph Garcia said.

“There was a phone call made some time on Tuesday, but no follow-up call,” Garcia said, referring to the crime.

He would not say to whom the call was made.

“We know how he died, but we are not ready to release that information,” Garcia said. “It was obviously done on purpose.”

Investigators are still awaiting an official cause of death from the coroner’s office, he said.

A motorist who spotted the body at 4:10 a.m. on Wednesday flagged down a patrol vehicle at the nearest freeway exit, Garcia said.

He returned to the scene with Sgt. Tom Gandara of the Foothill Division.

When Gandara saw that it was a body on fire, he used an extinguisher to put out the blaze, authorities said.

Police have no suspects in custody and asked anyone with information regarding the crime to call a 24-hour hot line at (818) 834-3104.