NORTHVILLE TOWNSHIP -- Construction crews found a torched and headless body Thursday morning on Hidden Ridge Drive in Northville Township.

Police were able to identify the body as 26-year-old Daniel Gene-Vincent Sorensen of River Rouge by using a partial fingerprint technique, despite the severe burns on Sorensen’s hands. Police said the severely burned hands seemed to be an effort to hide his identity.

Police confirmed that Sorensen was a registered sex offender.

Police said they believe the person driving Sorensen’s 2001 red Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck, with license plate No. BBV9503 may have information on the killing.

A neighbor called to report a fire on Wednesday night, sometime between 7:30 and 10:30 p.m., according to police.

Police said they believe Sorensen was stabbed multiple times and then dropped off in the newly developed subdivision.

“Early indication right now it that the body was dropped there and set on fire, and that the actual homicide took place somewhere else,” said Northville Public Safety Director John Werth.

A Northville Township water and sewage crew found the body while checking on a hydrant.

Police said there were no clothes on the torso.

Search and rescue dogs were called to the scene to search for the victim’s head.

Friends of the victim said Sorensen was on his way to pick up several thousand dollars he was owed Wednesday night and was supposed to meet up with them later. "He was like my adopted family, like a little brother to me," said Ryan Baller, a close friend.

Other friends universally describe Sorensen as "troubled".

He was a registered sex offender, they say because of a relationship he had when he was 18 and the girl was underage. He had trouble keeping a job and money was always tight.

"This is the most brutal thing I have ever heard of and he didn't deserve it", said David Priede, a long time friend.

Sorensen’s head has still not been recovered.

“We want all of him… We want him back so that we can lay him to rest,” said Victim’s father, Jim Sorensen.

Police said they do not have any suspects at this time.

“The hardest thing to deal with is, knowing how terrified he must have been, but the reality of the fact is that we may never know what happened,” said victim’s mother Kim Sorensen.

If you have any information, call the Northville Township police.

Stay with ClickOnDetroit.com and Local 4 News for further updates.

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