Police are seeking the community’s help in solving a murder in Fremont.

On Friday, investigators released the identity of the victim.

The dead body of a man found next to the Union Pacific railroad track in Fremont has now been identified.

“Our victim is Max Lopez Balmes,” Alameda County Sheriff’s Sgt. Ray Kelly said. “He is 26 years old. He is a resident of Fremont. We are still working on the case, trying to figure out how he got down to the railroad tracks. It is a rural area. We can’t figure out at this point…was he lured in there? Did he go there to meet somebody?”

In fact Sgt. Kelly says homicide investigators are looking for a possible connection between Balmes and whoever killed him.

“Any time you have a crime like this given the location, given the circumstances surrounding this case, it is concerning,” Sgt. Kelly said. “It is likely he knew his attackers. We are looking at that angle.”

Back on Sept. 9, a pair of hikers came across Balmes’ body below Highway 84 near Palomares Road and contacted police. Investigators say they have ruled out the hikers had anything to do with the murder.

Now, that he has been identified, they are looking for other clues.

“See what was going on in his life and try to recreate the last hours and days of his life to figure out exactly what may have occurred,” Sgt. Kelly said. “At the end of the day, the community can really fast forward and fast-track an investigation with information, so if anyone does have information on the death of Max, if they could come forward, we would greatly appreciate it.”

WHAT OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON: 

>>MORE STORIES