Woman Abducted, Burned And Left For Dead

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Merced woman abducted, burned and left for dead

modbee.com - By VICTOR A. PATTON - October 25, 2007

BALLICO -- A Merced woman who was kidnapped near Turlock and nearly burned to death on a country road early Wednesday is struggling to survive after what investigators called one of the cruelest crimes they've ever seen.

Merced County sheriff's officials were scheduled to hold a news conference at 2 p.m. Thursday at which they were expected to release new details.

Detectives were searching for suspects and other possible victims. The 27-year-old woman was so badly disfigured that deputies could not immediately determine her gender.

A group of farmworkers found the woman lying in the front yard of a farm property at South and Ballico avenues about 7:30 a.m., said sheriff's spokesman Paul Barile. — continued: »

http://i23.tinypic.com/15f198k.gif » Woman set afire, left for dead
http://www.modbee.com/local/story/102453.html

PDF map: Location of burn victim
http://media.modbee.com/smedia/2007/10/25/08/102507_Ballico.source.prod_affiliate.11.pdf

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Sheriff: Burned woman's condition 'grave'

Officials ID victim, ask for public's help

modbee.com - By VICTOR A. PATTON - October 26, 2007

A 27-year-old woman who was bound at the hands and feet and burned Wednesday remained in "grave" condition, with second- and third-degree burns on 95 percent of her body, Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin said during a news conference Thursday.

Although investigators remained tight-lipped about their investigation into the crime, Pazin identified the woman as Rosa Alicia Avina, a resident of the Livingston area. Pazin said the Sheriff's Department decided to release the woman's identity in hopes that those with information about the crime will step forward.

Sheriff's investigators are working with an "associate" of Avina's who might know where she was in the hours before the crime, Pazin said. He called the crime "barbaric," saying the heat from the fire was so intense the plastic zip-ties around Avina's feet melted into her flesh. "She was bound and literally left for dead," Pazin said. — continued: »

http://www.modbee.com/local/story/103636.html

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Woman set afire in Merced County dies of burns

Investigators search homes in Turlock, Delhi, Livingston

modbee.com - VICTOR PATTON - October 29, 2007

MERCED - A woman who was bound, gagged, and burned alive died over the weekend, Merced County Sheriff’s investigators said Monday.

Rosa Alicia Avina, 27, of Livingston died at 10 p.m. Friday at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose. She had suffered from second- and third-degree burns over 95 percent of her body, according to sheriff's spokesman Paul Barile.

Sheriff Mark Pazin said his department had waited until Monday to announce the death in consideration of Avina’s family. “No family deserves to go through this,” Pazin said. “Those persons that were involved need to be brought to justice." — continued: »

http://www.modbee.com/local/story/106229.html

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Woman kidnapped and burned dies

ksee24.com - Story Updated: Oct 29, 2007 at 4:22 PM EDT

The woman who was tied up, dumped on a rural Merced County road and set on fire has died.

Rosa Avina, 27, was last listed in grave condition at a San Francisco hospital.

Merced County authorities say she has since died from her injuries.

That announcement came was made during a news conference at 11 a.m. Monday morning.

Authorities say Avina was on parole at the time of her abduction.

Investigators say they want to talk with people who knew Avina to find out where she was just before she disappeared.

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http://www.ksee24.com/news/local/10868121.html

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Arrests made in connection to Merced woman burned alive

ksee24.com - Nov 7, 2007

The Merced County Sheriff’s department announced nine total arrests from the departments investigation, five of which are in direct connection to the death of a Merced woman who was set on fire and left to die last month.

Investigators say Rosa Avina was tied up and burned in a pile of debris near Ballico in Merced County. She managed to undo her bindings and get help, but died two days later.

During a news conference Wednesday, Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin said the crime was committed in retaliation over unpaid drug debts.

Sheriff Pazin said Avina apparently owed the men around $750 for marijuana and crystal methamphetamine she received.

Omar Cebrero, 18, of Turlock, Alvaro Reyes, 29, of Livingston, Luis Valencia, 24, of Delhi, were charged with Murder, Conspiracy, Torture, Mayhem, Kidnapping. Urbano Ortega, 27, was charged with Conspiracy, Torture, Mayhem, Kidnapping. Renulfo Ortega, 23, of Livingston, was charged with Accessory to Murder, Conspiracy, and unrelated narcotic warrants. — continued

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http://www.ksee24.com/news/local/11084811.html