SAN DIEGO - Authorities sought Wednesday to determine the identity and cause of death of a person whose badly burned remains were found in a charred pickup truck at a Borrego Springs campground.

A park ranger discovered the body at Vallecito County Regional Park on County Route S-2 about 10 a.m. Tuesday, according to sheriff's Lt. Glenn Giannantonio.

The corpse was so extensively burned a DNA match may be necessary for identification, and a cause-of-death ruling will be on hold pending completion of toxicology tests, Giannantonio said.

The campground was otherwise empty when the gutted truck was found. The vehicle apparently had been parked there at some point during the previous night, the lieutenant said.

Homicide detectives were called in to investigate due to the suspicious circumstances of the death.

Authorities have identified the registered owner of the truck but have yet to account for his whereabouts, according to Giannantonio.