A gay barman murdered on Clapham Common was beaten so severely he could not be recognised by his own family, Scotland Yard has revealed.
Mr Dobrowski was attacked on Clapham Common
Jody Dobrowski, 24, was identified by his fingerprints after the attack in south-west London on Friday night, which police believe was homophobic.
Two white men, aged in their 20s, are being hunted by police.
On Wednesday a woman came forward to say she had been verbally abused by the two suspects moments before the murder.
Mr Dobrowski, who managed the bar at the Camden branch of Jongleurs, was attacked as he walked home from a friend's house.
He was found by police in the early hours of Saturday.
Det Ch Insp Nick Scola said: "This was a brutal attack which left Jody's face so badly injured that he could not be identified visually, even by those who knew and loved him the most.
"Formal identification has now taken place but it was necessary to use fingerprints taken from Jody's home to compare."
In a statement his family said: "Jody knew he was loved and accepted. He knew that we knew.
"He was also a young man still discovering his identity and was facing the difficulty of having to 'come out' which straight people never have to face.
"The timing of this was up to him. He had very little time. He did not know that."
The statement also said claims Mr Dobrowski left his home town in Gloucestershire to avoid intolerance were untrue, but added same-sex relationships were more "difficult" there.
Police said one of the men they were looking for over the murder was noticeably taller than the other.
He was about 6ft 4in, with a shaved head and wore a black hooded jumper. The other man was stocky.
Three teenagers arrested over the attack have been bailed.
Detectives are examining whether there is a link between Mr Dobrowski's murder and a series of homophobic attacks in the area.