Cops: Fox movie exec may have been killed in his car

LOS ANGELES -- A law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation says that when authorities found the Mercedes-Benz of missing 20th Century Fox executive Gavin Smith there was enough blood and body tissue to believe he'd been killed.

The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the case and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department announced early Thursday that remains discovered by hikers in a rural area of Palmdale on Oct. 26 were positively identified as those of Smith.

Smith was last seen on May 1, 2012 in Ventura County. Months later, authorities found his car at a Simi Valley storage facility and said its condition indicated he was killed.

The official says tissue in the car included skin stuck to a seat.

Speaking at a press conference Thursday afternoon, Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Dave Dolson said he wouldn't discuss evidence, but said there were indications that Smith was killed in the car.

"After examining Gavin's car, we were able to confidently label his death a homicide," Dolson said.

A cause of death hasn't yet been determined, but he said it appeared Smith suffered some trauma. He said he didn't believe the executive had been shot.

Smith was discovered buried in a shallow grave, Dolson said. Before his remains were discovered, officials said they had some indication that his body could have been buried in the area. The area had been searched, but the rugged and vast terrain was challenging for crews.

Dozens of search warrants have been executed and hundreds of items of evidence have been collected in the case, some of which are still being analyzed. The discovery of the remains, Dolson said, is "obviously a crucial piece of evidence."

"The examination of the body will hopefully lead us to some additional leads and potentially help us solidify an arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible," Dolson said.

The storage facility where Smith's car was found was linked to John Creech, a man who was serving an eight-year prison sentence for sales or transport of narcotics, Dolson said last year. Creech was named a person of interest but has not been charged with Smith's murder.

Dolson said then that Smith had "some kind of relationship" with Creech's wife, Chandrika, after meeting her in rehab several years previously. Dolson declined to provide details.

Creech is still considered to be a person of interest, Dolson said Thursday. He wouldn't comment on a possible motive, but said investigators have a "pretty good picture" of what happened to Smith and have several witnesses that are paramount to the case.

Smith was with Fox's movie distribution department for nearly 18 years and was a branch manager for several theaters.