Los Angeles police this week asked for the public's help in the mysterious case of a missing Tarzana waiter whose burned body was found in Santa Barbara last month.

According to the Daily News, 48-year-old Bernardo Alvarez worked for 10 years at the Greystoke Grill on Ventura Boulevard in Tarzana. His boss reported him missing shortly before his burned body was found July 15 next to the 101 freeway in the Santa Ynez mountains south of Goleta, authorities said.

The Daily News reports that Alvarez died before his body was set ablaze, likely within 24 hours of the fire. Still, Los Angeles police and Santa Barbara County detectives have not declared that his demise was a homicide. At least not yet.

Following the mid-July discovery it took DNA to identify the remains; the deceased's identity was revealed by authorities Wednesday.

Traces of drugs might have been found in the waiter's body, according to KCAL9 News.

Anyone with information about the case was asked to call Los Angeles police at 818-374-7730.

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