Officials Identify Charred Body

The charred body found near Silverado Canyon early Monday was identified as Jason Derek Stinnett, 25, of Garden Grove, sheriff’s detectives said.

Through dental records, the coroner’s office identified Stinnett as the victim whose body was discovered in the hills north of Limestone Canyon Regional Park near Black Star Canyon Road, Lt. Ron Wilkerson said.

Stinnett, an unemployed truck driver, died of a gunshot wound to the chest, Wilkerson said. Investigators are treating the case as a homicide, he said.

Stinnett’s body was found at about midnight Monday when a passing motorist saw a small fire on the hillside. A sheriff’s deputy who put out the blaze with a portable fire extinguisher discovered it was a body, and fire officials were alerted, Wilkerson said.

Officials have not determined a motive, he said, and the death remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact sheriff’s investigators at (714) 647-7055.