Coroner: Alhambra homicide victim was strangled

ALHAMBRA -- A San Gabriel woman whose body was found near an Alhambra park early Saturday was strangled to death, coroner's officials said Sunday.
A passer-by found the body of 31-year-old Shi Donglei about 4:30 a.m. on Woodward Avenue, just across the street from Story Park, police and sheriff's officials said.
A medical examiner performed an autopsy Sunday and concluded Donglei had been strangled, Los Angeles County Department of Coroner Lt. Cheryl MacWillie said.
"The cause of death is asphyxia... due to neck compression," she said.
A Toyota Prius found around the corner from where the body was found was towed by police and stored as evidence, though it was not clear how the car is believed to be involved.
Alhambra police deferred all inquiries to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, as detectives from the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau are helping Alhambra police in the investigation. The handling sheriff's detectives could not be reached for comment.

PHOTO of Shi Donglei comes courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department