Update: Burned Body Found in SUV Identified

LOS ANGELES COUNTY— The body found inside a burning vehicle in the 30100 block of Miraleste Drive in Rancho Palos Verdes Tuesday was identified as a Long Beach man by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Wednesday afternoon. 

The man was identified as Christopher Waters, 42, of Long Beach, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Diane Hecht. Waters' body was discovered by firefighters after they extinguished a blaze that engulfed an older model Chevrolet SUV parked on a basketball court owned by an adjacent home.

According to Hecht, there is still no information on how the man's body got in the burning SUV and the coroner's office is still investigating the cause of death.

"The cause of death will be determined by the coroner's office and that has not yet been determined," Hecht said.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department was called to the scene to extinguish the car fire at approximately 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to deputies. 

"The body was badly burned," Lt. Holly Francisco told reporters. "It's unsure at this time how the vehicle was set on fire. Our investigators are working with arson to determine how that fire was started."

Investigators have not yet determined whether this death is a homicide. Since 2007, there have been three homicides in Rancho Palos Verdes, according to the Los Angeles Times Homicide Report.

"I never expected it—never thought it would happen," said Erik Jensen, who lives in the neighborhood. "That is the strangest thing I can't figure out—why here? Nobody up here, as far as I know, does anything wrong."

Resident Stephanie Mullins, who lives around the corner from where the incident happened, described the vehicle fire as a full-on inferno.

"I saw smoke so I thought a house was on fire," Mullins told Patch. "(The car) was already fully engulfed in flames when I got there."

Mullins said that she was ready to call 911, but firefighters quickly arrived at the scene and doused the blaze. Mullins said she could not see if there was a person in the car at the time.

"I didn't know there was a body in the car," Mullins said. "I had no idea."

Mullins, who has lived in the area since 1997, also said it was unusual for a car to be parked on that particular basketball court.

"Cars have never been parked in that basketball court," Mullins said. "I have never seen cars parked there."

A second vehicle, a Ford Mustang, was parked next to the burning SUV and also sustained damage from the blaze. Both vehicles were seen leaving on flat bed tow trucks at 11 p.m. Tuesday.

The coroner's office and bomb squad also responded to the incident and remained until about 10:30 p.m.

Miraleste Drive was closed to traffic in both directions between First Street and Via Colinita until nearly midnight due to the investigation but has since been reopened to traffic.

Anyone with information that could aid the investigation is urged to contact the sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.

—City News Service contributed to this report.

Editor's note: This story was originally published Tuesday at 4:40 p.m. It has since been updated multiple times with additional information.