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San Francisco prosecutors will charge a man suspected of killing a Sacramento woman and torching her body and car in San Francisco’s Lower Haight neighborhood early Monday with murder and arson, the district attorney’s office said today.

Almon Johnson, 29, is expected to be arraigned on the charges in San Francisco Superior Court Thursday morning, district attorney’s office spokesman Seth Steward said.

The body of 23-year-old Vanessa Herrera was found inside her two-door gray Pontiac at about 3:30 a.m. Monday in the 400 block of Rose Street, according to police. The car was engulfed in flames.

The relationship between Herrera and Johnson, and the motive for the killing, are still under investigation, police spokesman Lt. Troy Dangerfield said today.

Johnson is alleged to have killed Herrera in Sacramento and then brought her body to San Francisco before lighting the car on fire, according to police.

Johnson is believed to have ties to both Sacramento and San Francisco, Dangerfield said.

Johnson was arrested in downtown San Francisco Monday night, police said. He was booked into jail on suspicion of murder, arson, destruction of evidence and parole violation.

The district attorney’s office could not immediately confirm today whether the additional charges would be sought.

Ari Burack, Bay City News

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