Two charged in death of Monica Rodas
on July 21, 2011
Two men have been charged with murder in the death of Monica Rodas, whose body was found burned on the 5800 block of Ivanhoe in North Oakland on July 14, the Oakland Police announced today.
Salvador Valasco, 23, and Hector Garcia, 31, were arrested yesterday afternoon and charged today with murder by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office.
Both men are associated with a criminal street gang, according to a police department press release issued today, but OPD spokeswoman Officer Holly Joshi said that the department was not able to release further information about their gang affiliation or connection to Rodas. Both men have a criminal history, mostly for drug violations, Joshi said.
Rodas was a 21-year-old from Union City. Neighbors reported a fire at approximately 4:30 a.m. on July 14, and police and firefighters arrived to find her body on fire in the street.
According to the OPD, the two men were arrested yesterday after a foot chase yesterday that began on the 4800 block of MacArthur Boulevard, near the Maxwell Park area and Mills College.
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