BURNED remains in a California mountain cabin are those of the fugitive ex-policeman who launched a revenge campaign against Los Angeles Police Department, authorities said.

A spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County sheriff-coroner said the identification was made through Christopher Dorner's dental records. She did not give a cause of death.

The search for Dorner began last week after authorities said he had killed three people and had launched the revenge campaign for his sacking five years ago, warning that he would bring "warfare" to LAPD officers and their families.

The manhunt brought police to Big Bear Lake, 80 miles east of Los Angeles, where they found Dorner's burned-out truck. Hundreds of officers searched the area but failed to find him.

Police said Dorner later killed a fourth person, a sheriff's deputy, during a stand-off, and died inside the burning cabin where he took cover during a blazing shoot-out.

The county sheriff has refused to answer questions about how one of the largest manhunts in years could have missed him.