PHOENIX - An Arizona sheriff said five bodies found burned beyond recognition inside the shell of a charred SUV are probably the remains of people killed in drug cartel violence.

The bodies and vehicle were found in the Vekol Valley, a rugged, mountainous desert area that’s a well-known smuggling corridor for drugs and illegal immigrants headed from Mexico to Phoenix and the US interior.

The bodies were so badly burned that investigators couldn’t immediately determine their gender or ethnicity. While it is unclear whether the victims were from Mexico, the sheriff’s office has notified the Mexican Consulate.

“Given all these indicators, you don’t have to be a homicide detective to add up all this information,’’ Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu said.

A Border Patrol agent first spotted the white Ford Expedition driving at around 4:30 a.m.

The vehicle disappeared despite an effort by federal and local authorities to track it down. Why the vehicle first drew attention from authorities is unclear.

At daybreak, an agent spotted tracks leading from Interstate 8 into the desert. The vehicle that left the tracks had apparently launched off the highway, going airborne for a short distance. The tracks continued on for a couple of miles.

Agents could see the smoldering vehicle from a distance through binoculars.

Babeu said investigators will try to determine whether the victims were dead before the SUV was set ablaze or whether they were alive when the fire was started.

“Clearly these people were murdered, but we don’t know the manner of death,’’ he said.

The sheriff said the extent of the violence is more evidence that drug smuggling north of the border hasn’t subsided.