20th Century Fox executive Gavin Smith went missing in May 2012 and had not been seen since. While his car was found over a year ago, his remains were not discovered until in September.
A Los Angeles Sheriff’s detective confirmed to NBC Los Angeles that Smith’s remains were discovered in a remote area in Palmdale on Sept. 26. The autopsy is still ongoing and it is still not known how Smith died.
Hikers reportedly discovered a shallow grave, with bones and a skull.
Smith had not been seen by his family since May 1, 2012. His vehicle was discovered in March 2013 and homicide detectives took over the case. Then on May 1, 2014, the LA Sheriff’s Department officially declared him dead. He was 57 years old at the time of his disappearance and leaves behind three sons.
In February 2013, his Mercedes Benz was found at a storage facility linked to John Creech, who was jailed for narcotics. Authorities don’t think Smith was linked to drugs and Creech did tell the Los Angeles Times that he never met Smith.