Man ID'd in Temescal Valley Murder, Suspect Sought

TEMESCAL VALLEY, CA – A man who was found dead in the Temescal Valley area last week was likely murdered, but a suspect is unknown and outstanding at this time, sheriff's officials said Monday.

According to Riverside County Sheriff's Sgt. Walter Mendez, the man was discovered around 2:24 a.m. Friday near Mojeska Summit and Squaw Mountain. A sheriff's spokesman told Patch that day the death was considered suspicious.

The man has since been identified by the Riverside County Coroner's Office as Eric Thomas Burniston, 21, of Long Beach.

Mendez said Burniston "...had suffered traumatic injuries," but did not say what sort of weapon may have been involved. It's still not clear how Burniston was discovered.

What's more, sheriff's officials say that they have yet to identify a suspect in the death. They are asking anyone with information regarding the incident to call investigator Joshua Button of the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit at (760) 393-3531.

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