A witness in the case of the murder of 21-year-old Monica Rodas-Alfaro, whose burning body was found dumped in Rockridge last July, says that three men, including Rodas-Alfaro's boyfriend, bound her hands with plastic wrap, covered her head, and may have gang-raped her during a party in East Oakland. It was the last time anyone saw her alive.

Salvador Valasco, 23, was dating Rodas-Alfaro at the time, and he arrived at the party with his 32-year-old his meth-dealer friend, Hector Garcia. According to Rodas-Alfaro's friend, Pablo Ahumada, everything was going fine until they arrived, apparently tweaking, distributing drugs, and an argument erupted between Valasco and Rodas-Alfaro outside a bathroom at the party house, which was actually a converted garage at 3131 Nicol Avenue. Valasco was then seen yelling and "talking smack" toward his girlfriend, and a third man arrived at the party and the three bound her hands behind her back with Saran wrap and covered her head with a sweater before leading her out of the room, after which Ahumada never saw her alive again. He says he was threatened by Valasco, who showed him two handguns in his waistband, before the crimes occurred.

The third man allegedly told Rodas-Alfaro, "tell them who it is, you know; we grew up together, we went to school together."

An autopsy showed that Rodas-Alfaro died of blunt-force trauma to the head. It's unclear whether sexual trauma was in fact involved.

Valasco and Garcia were arrested in connection with the murder just a week later, but only now are we hearing witness testimony during a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Alameda County. Both men were charged with a special circumstances murder, and the preliminary hearing continues today pending a possible jury trial.

[Tribune]

Previously: Two Men Arrested in Oakland in Connection With Burning Body
SFist Blotter: Burning Body in Rockridge, Water Rescue In Marin, Murder in E. Palo Alto