Mike di Donato/KTVB

A badly burned late-model car sits in a field in rural Canyon County west of Parma. Police say they found a body inside, and are now trying to determine if the case is a homicide.

CANYON COUNTY - A burning power pole led to the discovery of a burned car in rural Canyon County Monday.  Inside the car police found the body of an elderly man. Detectives were treating this situation as a homicide, but say the deceased man has an extensive medical history that may be a factor in the case.

A passerby called police about the fire west of Parma around 3 p.m. Monday afternoon.  Police and fire crews responded and soon found the body inside the car.

It happened near Apple Valley Road and Sharp Lane west of Parma.

The Canyon County coroner has identified the victim as 82-year-old Edgar Taylor of Parma. Chief Deputy Coroner Steve Rhodes says Taylor may have had a heart attack before driving off the road. He likely died of natural causes, but they won't know for sure until they get back results of toxicology tests. He said there were no obvious signs of foul play on the victim.

See the damage

Detective Chris McCormick says they were able to identify him through his license and registration. Investigators believe the exhaust system ignited the grass beneath the car. At this point they are treating as a death investigation, but do not suspect any foul play is involved.

Along with the car, a late 80s Oldsmobile Cutlass, a power pole was burning – sending flames into the air.

"They (got) that under control along with a grass fire,” Capt. Dana Maxfield with the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office said. “They discover a vehicle that's in the same area.  When they checked the car, they found a body inside the car.”

Maxfield says the fire could have burned for a while before crews arrived because it charred the grassy area near the car and a nearby power pole.

"It spread for approximately 100 yards,” he said. “With the wind the fire had burned for at least a little bit."

He says no one was on scene when fire crews arrived.  He says they originally taped off the area as a crime scene.

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