Police have identified a man found dead in a fire pit in a park in north Toronto, who homicide investigators said may have been burned to conceal his identity.
Police responded to a call at around 10 a.m. on April 9 about a fire in Northwood Park near Sheppard Avenue and Sentinel Road.
When officers arrived, they discovered the body of an unidentified man in the fire pit.
READ MORE: Body found in Toronto fire pit may have been burned to conceal victim’s identity: police
Police said the man was Caucasion or light-skinned, aged 20 to 35 with short black hair, but did not match the description of any missing persons.
Det.-Sgt. Kevin Leahy told Global News on April 11 that he believed the man was targeted and his body was burned as a way to cover up his identity.
On Monday, police identified the deceased as Julio Cesar Soto, 29, of Toronto, and said he was last seen in the Assiniboine Road and Sentinel Road area, about 3.5 kilometres from the park, on the evening of April 8.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7400, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at http://www.222tips.com, or by texting TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637).
WATCH: Homicide investigators have been called in after a body was found in a fire pit at Northwood Park