The body of a Hollywood movie executive who went missing two
and a half years ago was found last week northeast of Los Angeles and police
are treating the case as a homicide, authorities said.
The skeletal remains identified by dental records as
57-year-old Gavin Smith were discovered by hikers in a shallow grave in Angeles
National Forest on Oct. 26, said the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department.
"There's some indications that there was some
trauma," said Lt. Dave Dolson at a press conference
Thursday. "Examination of the body will hopefully lead us to some
additional leads and potentially solidify an arrest of the person or persons
responsible."
The former 20th Century Fox executive, and married father of
three sons, was last seen while leaving a friend’s Oak Park, Calif., home in
his car on May 1, 2012.
Police recovered Smith’s Mercedes nearly a year later in
February 2013 in a Simi Valley storage facility owned by convicted drug dealer
John Creech, whose wife Smith is alleged to have had an affair with,
E! News reported. Remarking on Smith's vehicle, Dolson said
that evidence found inside the car suggested that he was killed inside.
Other
leads have suggested that his body was then dumped in the national forest.
Dolson suggested that the hikers may have had a dog with
them which alerted them to the remains.
He said they think they know why and how he was killed, but
while the case is under investigation, "we're not going to discuss the
motive at this time."
As of Thursday no suspects have been named.
Via.NYDN
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