California police say they believe they have recovered the remains of an aspiring actress who vanished from her Hollywood home last month.
Adea Shabani, 25, was found over 400 miles (645km) away from her apartment buried in a shallow grave in a remote wildlife area of northern California.
Officials say a man they identified as her boyfriend, Christopher Spotz, was involved in her presumed murder.
Spotz killed himself after a chase and standoff with police last week.
Her death is being investigated as a homicide.
“Something happened, and I believe it to be somewhat untoward – that there was foul play involved,” said Captain William Hayes of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) at a press conference on Thursday.
A post-mortem examination is planned for Wednesday morning, and police caution that her remains have not yet been positively confirmed.
“We cannot say that conclusively at this point in time because the condition of the remains,” added Capt Hayes.
Shabani was born in Macedonia and attended high school there before moving to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.
She was credited with a small role in an independent film released last year.
Shabani was last seen leaving her apartment with Spotz on 23 February carrying luggage to an elevator.
Spotz, 33, who was engaged to another woman, told police at the time that he let Shabani out of the car only 25 miles from her home after they got into an argument.
Last Thursday, Spotz led police on a 60 mile chase in a stolen vehicle before shooting himself.
The LAPD spokesman said he believed Spotz was “somehow involved in her death”.
Her mother had flown from Macedonia, and hired a private investigator to aid in the over one-month long search.
The private investigator told KABC in early March that a $25,000 reward was being offered for her whereabouts.
