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PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Body found in burned car at South LA tow yard
LAPD investigators say a body was found in an abandoned and burned vehicle in South LA.
LOS ANGELES - Court documents have revealed a significant expansion in a criminal case originating from a body discovered inside a burned car trunk at a South Los Angeles tow yard.
While the initial arrest took place last year, prosecutors have now officially identified the victim and filed premeditated murder charges against three individuals.
What we know:
On September 9, 2025, detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit were conducting a follow-up investigation at a tow yard on the 1900 block of West Gage Avenue.
During their search, investigators discovered a body inside the trunk of a Honda registered to the victim.
An amended felony complaint filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office on April 7, 2026, officially identified her as Soledad Lopez and stated the crime occurred on or about September 7, 2025.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Arrest made after body found in car at South LA tow yard
- Body found in burned vehicle at South Los Angeles tow yard
The filing charges two additional co-defendants with murder: 43-year-old Mariana Yeli Yepez-Cigarroa and 34-year-old Oscar Oswaldo Funes Villafranca. The complaint requests arrest warrants for both Yepez-Cigarroa and Funes Villafranca, with bail set at $2 million each.
In the complaint, the state alleges that the murder was "willful, deliberate and premeditated." The prosecution notes that the manner in which Diaz, Yepez-Cigarroa, and Funes Villafranca carried out the offense indicates "planning, sophistication, and professionalism, within the meaning of California Rules of Court Rule 4.421(a)(8)."
What we don't know:
While the victim has been identified, authorities have not released information regarding the specific cause of Lopez's death.
It's unclear how police initially connected Diaz to the killing, or what specific evidence led investigators to tie Yepez-Cigarroa and Funes Villafranca to the crime.
What's next:
Diaz is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing to evaluate whether the state has compiled sufficient evidence to force her to stand trial.
Law enforcement is moving forward with the arrest warrants requested for Yepez-Cigarroa and Funes Villafranca.
The Source: This report is based on information provided by the Los Angeles Police Department and legal filings from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, specifically the amended Felony Complaint for Arrest Warrant (Case No. 25CJCF06100) executed on April 7, 2026.