Authorities investigating the death of Fox distribution executive Gavin Smith say a hiker's discovery of his remains last week has helped them to finally solve the "how and why" of the two-year-old case.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office has confirmed that remains discovered by hikers in Palmdale, Ca. Sunday to be Gavin Smith, the 20th Century Fox film distribution executive who disappeared in May of 2012. He was 57.