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Police ID man in burning vehicle

He worked for his family's Palm Harbor cleaning business to which the Nissan SUV was registered.

By KEVIN GRAHAM
Published August 4, 2006

TAMPA - Rafael Garcia, who helped operate his family's Palm Harbor cleaning service, is the man police say they found in a burning SUV Monday night near a Tampa hospital.

Garcia, 55, was discovered just before 10 p.m. in a silver, 2004 Nissan Armada, a version of the Pathfinder. The vehicle was parked in a lot at W St. Isabel Street and N Gomez Avenue, near St. Joseph's Women's Hospital, when firefighters responded.

"We're hoping that someone may have seen the car," said Andrea Davis, Tampa police spokeswoman. "Maybe someone saw him."

Police released few new details Wednesday about the fire and death. Detectives haven't released any information on whether Garcia suffered any signs of trauma to his body before being set on fire. The Hillsborough County medical examiner referred questions about the cause of death to Tampa police.

"When police arrived on scene, he was deceased," Davis said.

The Armada was registered to AA Cleaning Concepts, Inc., a business listed in state records to Carmen Noboa, with an address at 3297 Valemoor Drive, in Palm Harbor.

Davis said Garcia lived at the address and worked in the family's business. The home is located in the gated community of Foxberry Run.

No one in Garcia's family could be reached Wednesday for comment.

Garcia was known to frequent the area of West Tampa for business where he was found dead, Davis said. Detectives are looking for anyone who might have seen him during the day or with an acquaintance.

"Someone out there had to have seen something," Davis said.

The day he was killed, Garcia wore a lime green Polo shirt, khaki pants and Birkenstock sandals. Detectives ask anyone with information about Garcia or the day he died to call Tampa police at 813 276-3514.

Times researcher Cathy Wos contributed to this story. Kevin Graham can be reached at (813) 226-3433 or kgraham@sptimes.com.

[Last modified August 3, 2006, 20:20:39]