BODY OF RESEDA MAN IDENTIFIED.

Byline: Troy Anderson Daily News Staff Writer

Coroner's investigators identified a body found earlier this week in the hills north of Chatsworth as that of Andrew ``Handy Jack'' Bethea, who was missing since March 25 from his Reseda home.

``I didn't want to believe it was him,'' said his former wife, Judyann Williams of Van Nuys. ``I'm having a hard time knowing he was lying there all these weeks when we were praying for him to come back. I want to know what happened to him.''

Investigators said they believe Bethea died as a result of foul play. The body was found by a horseback rider on a rancher's property Monday.

``Based on the missing person report, we are investigating it as a homicide,'' said sheriff's homicide Detective Pat Tapia.

Tapia asked that anyone with information call him at [phone] or the Los Angeles Police Department's Missing Person unit at [phone].

Scott Carrier, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office, said Bethea was identified Thursday using his dental records. The cause and time of his death have not been determined.

Bethea, who operated Handy Jack Home Improvement and Maintenance out of his Reseda home, was last seen about 11:30 p.m. at a bar in the 7200 block of Canby Avenue in Reseda, police said.

His mid-1970s, off-white Dodge van was later found in the bar parking lot with his rent check and some coffee he had purchased, Williams said.

Williams said she last saw Bethea after her son's high school fashion show and he kissed their 10-year-old daughter good night.

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Photo: Bethea