Joseph Gosinski, 44

Died Dec. 24, 2010

Joseph Gosinski, a 44-year-old white man, died Friday, Dec. 24 in the 1900 block of Del Amo Boulevard in Torrance, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Ed Winter, spokesman for the coroner's office, said Gosinski was found in his car by his girlfriend in the early morning hours. At the time, it appeared he sustained blunt head trauma and gunshot wounds.

Authorities were called and Gosinski was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:13 a.m., Winter said. After an autopsy was completed, it was determined he died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

Torrance police said Gosinski's body was located inside his business, Chicane Sport Tuning. He specialized in customizing Ford Mustangs and had been featured on the TLC show "Overhaulin'."

A memorial Facebook page for Gosinski had drawn 645 fans as of Saturday and inspired hundreds of people to post reminiscences, memorial videos and pictures of cars. Friends were planning to hold a memorial cruise Sunday.

As of Saturday, Torrance police said only that the investigation is ongoing, and they had not named a suspect.

Police asked anyone with information about the crime to call the Torrance Police Department detectives division at (310) 618-5570.

— Sarah Ardalani and Abby Sewell