The last time Wachria "Mario" Phetmang was seen alive, he was driving someone else's car into a southern Sydney service station on a Friday night.
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Twelve days later his body was found bound, gagged, wrapped in plastic and covered in a mattress protector on the side of a busy road about 16km away.
Police are now trying to work out what happened between May 25 and June 6, when a passing truck driver made the grim discovery near Homebush Bay Drive.
"It is an unusual way to be found; it does indicate to us certain activities of certain people, but we don't want to be blind to all the motives," Detective Superintendent Scott Cook told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.
"We're hoping someone can help fill in that gap for us."
CCTV footage shows Mr Phetmang driving a silver 2004 Hyundai Terracan, with Victorian registration URK109, at a South Hurstville service station.
Police confirmed Mr Phetmang - a Thai national - was not the owner of the car and want to know where it is and to whom it belongs.
They believe several people may be involved in his murder and are investigating whether he had links to drugs.
While his time of death is unclear, police said he was seriously wounded and died from blunt force trauma injuries.
His injuries were so severe, it took police "some time" to identify him, Det Supt Cook said.
The 33-year-old, who had no criminal history, was well-liked by friends, had been in Australia for about a decade and was living in Hurstville in the city's south, police said.
While there are no firm suspects, police are pursuing several lines of inquiry and are calling on anyone who may have seen Mr Phetmang during the 12 days to come forward.
They are also keen for any dashcam footage from motorists travelling near Sydney Olympic Park in the days leading up to Wednesday, June 6.
Mr Phetmang worked at a Sydney Starbucks cafe and - according to his LinkedIn page - was a waiter and bartender at restaurant Chat Thai in the city.
His mother and sister who live in NSW have been notified of his death.
Australian Associated Press