Man Was Killed, Then Set on Fire in Neighborhood Park, Police Say

An unidentified man found burning in a park in an upscale neighborhood here early Sunday morning was apparently murdered before being set afire, Seal Beach police said.

The victim, believed to be between 20 and 25 years old, was found burning in the bushes of Aster Park in the College Park East neighborhood by a woman who lives across the street, Lt. Kenny Mollohan said.

The woman put out the fire with a garden hose and called 911, Mollohan said, but the half-clothed and severely burned body was still smoldering when police arrived.

Police believe the man was killed somewhere else, dumped in the park and set afire, possibly with gasoline.

“There was no sign of a struggle or anything like that,” Mollohan said. “If someone alive was burning, I don’t think they would die from the burns and just lie there.”

Police said the body had no identification and investigators could not tell if the man was white or Latino, but believe he was not African American. An autopsy did not reveal the cause of death.

Investigators hope to identify the victim through fingerprints, Mollohan said.

Witnesses said a dark Toyota pickup truck, with heavy suspension and oversized tires, was seen leaving the area Sunday morning.