Police have found further body parts as they continue to investigate remains found at Kersal Dale.
More human remains were discovered in two separate locations over the weekend – Blackleach Reservoir in Salford and at Linnyshaw Colliery Woods.
The initial discovery of a torso was found by passer-by in the wetlands on April 4.
Officers now believe the victim was a white man in his sixties and have made contact with his family. They believe he died in late March.
Two men held on suspicion of murder lived with him in a house in Salford, police said.
Detective superintendent Lewis Hughes said: “Thanks to meticulous forensic work, we are now confident we have identified the man. Formal identification hasn’t taken place but we believe he is a man in his sixties and lived in Salford.
“We believe he is known to the two suspects we have in custody. They have remained in custody over the weekend as we work to establish how the victim met this tragic outcome.
“We have had four scenes in place for extensive outdoor searches and an indoor search. One is a warehouse in Bury and three are sites in Salford.”
Officers searched a warehouse in Mitchell Street, Bury after household items were found there, but said there was no information that anybody who owns or works there is in any way involved in any criminality regarding this offence.
