Cause of Norman car fire, victim’s ID remain unknown

NORMAN — The identity of the body found in the trunk of a burned car Sunday in Norman, along with the causes of the person’s death and the fire, remain under investigation.

Norman police, firefighters and paramedics responded to the report of a burning vehicle at 4:47 a.m. Sunday near 144th Avenue NE and Indian Hills Road in rural northeast Norman, according to a police news release. After firefighters extinguished the fire, they discovered the body in the car’s trunk.

Monday, Norman Deputy Fire Chief Jim Bailey said, "we still don’t know the cause” of the car fire "at this point or who the person is.”

Norman police issued an update Monday afternoon that states at "this time there is no positive identification of the person nor has a cause of death been determined.

"The vehicle has been moved from the medical examiner’s office to a secure facility where forensic investigators continue a detailed examination of the charred remains of the vehicle,” the statement said.

Bailey said fire department investigators are working to determine the fire’s cause while police detectives are investigating the incident as a homicide. The deceased person’s identity and cause of death are being investigated at the state medical examiner’s office.

Anyone with information is asked to call Norman police at 321-1600.