Ex-boyfriend dismembers 33-year-old woman, then burns her body, California police say

A man killed his ex-girlfriend, then cut up her body and burned it, California police reported.

Alyssa Salazar, 33, was reported missing Aug. 10 after not being seen since late July, Gilroy police said in an Oct. 4 news release.

Salazar vanished after accusing her ex-boyfriend, Iban Alfaro Escobedo, 31, of Gilroy, of rape and assault in April, according to court documents from the Santa Clara District Attorney’s Office obtained by McClatchy News.

An investigation led police to property in Santa Clara County, where they discovered human remains Aug. 30, police said.

Investigators found scorched hand bones, a skull and ribs in a barrel next to a mobile home owned by Escobedo’s sister, court documents said..

Police arrested Escobedo in the earlier case the same day and found a 9mm pistol in his car, court documents said. Blood stains also were found, according to the documents

The remains found in the barrel were later identified as Salazar’s, police said.

A witness told investigators that Escobedo said he shot Salazar in his car, then cut up her body in the bathtub of his sister’s mobile home and burned the remains, court documents said. Blood stains were also found in the bathtub, the documents said.

Escobedo is facing a murder charge in the death of Salazar, according to the court documents.

“Alyssa not only leaves behind a loving group of friends and family, but also two innocent little girls who have the slightest clue as to what is going on with their Mommy,” Michelle Sanchez said in a Facebook tribute to Salazar.

“We are heart broken and want this all to just be a dream,” said a GoFundMe established for her family.

Anyone with information can contact detective Jason Greathead at 408-846-0373 or leave an anonymous tip at 408-846-0330.

Gilroy is about 85 miles southeast of San Francisco.

This story was originally published October 5, 2023 at 10:27 AM with the headline "Ex-boyfriend dismembers 33-year-old woman, then burns her body, California police say."