More than a year and a half after the severely burned body of a man known only as John Doe No. 258 was discovered in a hillside fire, homicide detectives have released a sketch in hopes the public will help identify him.
On Sept. 14, 2014, firefighters made the grim discovery after extinguishing a fire at the corner of Harvard Boulevard and 11th Street in the Harvard Heights area. The remains were between a chain-link fence and a low retaining wall at the foot of an abandoned apartment building perched on a hill.
The fire had been deliberately set, Los Angeles Police Department investigators said.
Detectives at the time said the body was so badly burned identifying the man would be difficult. This week, they said the man's name remains a mystery and released a sketch hoping for someone to identify him.
Anyone with information was asked to call Det. Scott Masterson at 213-382-9470. Anonymous tips can be made at 800-222-8477.
