CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / LOS ANGELES
Los Angeles police detectives are investigating the slaying of a woman who was found partially buried beneath a rock slab in a shallow grave behind her West Los Angeles home, authorities said Tuesday.
Margarita Padilla, 59, was found Monday at the residence in the 11500 block of National Boulevard, the day after relatives reported her missing, police said. The condition of her body indicated Padilla died of blunt-force trauma.
Padilla was last seen alive Saturday, when she went to the movies with a man with whom she had a romantic relationship. The man, whom investigators would not identify, had initially worked for Padilla.
The man is believed to be an illegal immigrant who fled to Mexico.
-- Andrew Blankstein
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