Image copyright Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff Image caption Adea Shabani was found buried in a shallow grave

California police have positively identified the remains of an aspiring actress who vanished from her Hollywood home last month.

Adea Shabani, 25, was found over 400 miles (645km) away from her apartment buried in a shallow grave in a remote wildlife area of northern California.

Nevada County Sheriff's officials said she was identified by her tattoos.

Police suspect a man they identified as her boyfriend, Christopher Spotz, was involved in her presumed murder.

Spotz killed himself after a chase and standoff with police last week.

Image copyright Facebook

Her death is being investigated as a homicide.

A post-mortem examination on Wednesday revealed that she sustained blunt force trauma to her head, according to the Nevada County Sheriff's office.

Authorities said the cause of death is still under investigation until toxicology and tissue analysis are complete.

"Something happened, and I believe it to be somewhat untoward - that there was foul play involved," said Captain William Hayes of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) at a press conference on Tuesday.

Image copyright CBS Image caption A reward was offered for Shabani's whereabouts

Shabani was born in Macedonia and attended high school there before moving to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career.

She was credited with a small role in an independent film released last year.

Shabani was last seen leaving her apartment with Spotz on 23 February carrying luggage to an elevator.

Spotz, 33, who was engaged to another woman, told police at the time that he let Shabani out of the car only 25 miles from her home after they got into an argument.

Image copyright Youtube/TheCSpotz Image caption Christopher Spotz pictured on his YouTube channel

Last Thursday, Spotz led police on a 60-mile chase in a stolen vehicle before shooting himself.

The LAPD spokesman said he believed Spotz - who was also an aspiring actor - was "somehow involved in her death".

Her mother had flown from Macedonia, and hired a private investigator to aid in the search.

The private investigator told KABC-TV in early March that a $25,000 reward was being offered for her whereabouts.