Burned body found in car in SW Houston garage

HOUSTON

Police say an HPD patrol officer observed a fire in the garage at 6601 Sands Point about 4:10pm on Thursday. HFD emergency personnel arrived and found the victim, Jose Alejandro Benitez, in the driver's seat of his vehicle. The car, the garage and Benitez had been burned. There was no apparent trauma to Benitez.

Benitez, 32, of the above address, suffered apparent burns and was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation is pending Benitez's cause of death, to be determined by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.

Anyone with information in this case is urged to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600.