Body burned in car fire awaits identification

The body of a young man discovered in a burning car in Gardnerville early Sunday morning still awaits identification.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office expects to release the name of the individual after dental records are received, according to sheriff's Lt. Mike Biaggini.

"We have a pretty good idea of who (the subject) is," he said.

Smoke inhalation was ruled as the cause of death Monday. The man likely died before he was burned, according to Sgt. Lance Modispacher.

The cause of death will be determined in four to six weeks after the results of blood analysis are received, Modispacher said.

The man's remains were found in the passenger seat of a burning vehicle in the back parking lot of the JT Basque Bar and Dining Room in Gardnerville about 5 a.m., according to sheriff's office reports.

East Fork Fire and Paramedic Districts firefighters rushed to a 911 call of a vehicle fire behind the restaurant at 4:41 a.m. They quickly extinguished the fire and then found the remains.

The burned car was almost destroyed. The fire appears to have started in the engine compartment, leaving some undamaged paint on the rear of the car, a witness said.

Biaggini, who oversees the sheriff's investigative unit, said investigators have a hypothesis as to what occurred.

"Before I'm comfortable in saying something to the public, we want to confirm that hypothesis," he said.