Abigail Villalpando Death: 3 Teens Charged In Teen's 'Brutal' Burning Death

3 Charged In Aurora Teen's Burning Death

An Aurora, Ill. teen was ordered held on $5 million bail Monday in the "exceptionally brutal" beating death of an 18-year-old woman who was the first homicide victim in Illinois' second-largest city since 2011.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Juan Garnica Jr., 18, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Abigail Villalpando, who was also of Aurora.

Two other teens -- Enrique Prado, 19, and Jose Becerra, 20 -- were also charged with concealing Villalpando's death.

Villalpando, a senior at West Aurora High School, was reported missing by her family around 2:30 a.m. Friday when she was a no-show for her work shift on Thursday, the Daily Herald reports.

Police found Villalpando's car around 10:40 a.m. Friday underneath the High Street Bridge over the tracks of the Burlington Northern Railroad. Inside the car was Villalpando's body "burned beyond recognition," according to NBC Chicago. Dental records were used to confirm Villalpando's identity.

Police say that Garnica beat Villalpando to death with a hammer at Prado's home on Thursday. Garnica then allegedly stuffed her body in a container and hid it in Prado's garage before transporting it to the location where Villalpando was found, the Herald reports. No motive has been disclosed.

Aurora, Illinois' second-most populous city, finished 2012 with zero homicides -- a stark contrast to Chicago's 516. Aurora's population is 200,000 and the city is located about 40 miles west of Chicago, which already logged at least 42 homicides as of last month.

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