HAYWARD — After a months-long investigation that enabled police to disprove statements he made in an attempt to cover up his involvement, a man has been charged with murder in the July strangulation and beating death of his girlfriend in his apartment, according to authorities and court records.
Michael Douglas Flunoy Jr., 43, was charged Monday with murder in the July 19 death of 46-year-old Susana Vallejos, a Lathrop resident and the mother of four children. He is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail and is scheduled to enter a plea on Friday.
Charged with being an accessory after the fact to the crime of murder and possession of an assault weapon is David Bobby Lynn Jr., 43, Flunoy’s roommate. He is free on bail.
According to police and court documents, Vallejos was found unresponsive in Flunoy’s bedroom at his apartment in the 1000 block of Highland Boulevard about 10:30 p.m. July 19. Flunoy had called 911, telling dispatchers she had overdosed on drugs.
Paramedics attempted life-saving measures but she was pronounced dead at 11:03 p.m.
According to the documents, she had a bruise on her head and rigor mortis in her jaw that caused such rigidity paramedics were unable to use an airway device to try and revive her.
Police said it turned out she had been dead for about an hour before the 911 call and that the ensuing police investigation, led by Senior Homicide Detective Nick Niedenthal, determined that Flunoy and Lynn “had the opportunity to clean the crime scene” and later “lied to investigators in an attempt to conceal” the alleged murder.
A motive for the killing has not been determined.
Police said Flunoy and Vallejos had been in a two-year dating relationship and that Vallejos had told friends and family Flunoy had assaulted her in the past.
The documents state that when police and paramedics first arrived both Flunoy and Lynn were inside the apartment, wearing only athletic shorts.
According to the documents, Flunoy initially claimed he had left the apartment to go to a store, coming home to find Vallejos in his bedroom. He said she soon had a medical emergency and that he had seen her use narcotics in the past.
Lynn allegedly told investigators they decided not to call 911 right away because they thought she might have overdosed.
Even though there were some inconsistencies in their statements, neither man was arrested at the time in connection with the death pending autopsy results and further investigation. Lynn was arrested for possessing an assault rifle and suspected narcotics but was later released without any charges being filed at the time.
Vallejos’ death came under intense scrutiny by Hayward police, a main concern being that Flunoy and Lynn had enough time before calling 911 to “construct a mutually agreed upon story and/or alibi,” the documents say.
Autopsy results on Sept. 19 determined Vallejos died from manual strangulation and head trauma but investigators still had more work to do before arrests could be made.
In the course of the investigation, police reviewed video from the store where Flunoy claimed he had gone before finding Vallejos; he was never seen entering the store, court documents say.
Chemical tests in the apartment found traces of Vallejos’ blood on the floor of the living room, hallway and bathroom, the documents say. Various cleaning solutions were located throughout the residence on the kitchen table, living room couch, in the bathroom and in the shower.
Vallejos’ toxicology results showed no illegal drugs in her system at the time of her death, the documents say. Police also found a drug screen appointment for employment, which Vallejos had passed, and said that Flunoy’s statement of her drug use did not match interviews conducted with other family and friends.
As a result of the investigation, police obtained a probable cause warrant for both men’s arrests. Lynn was arrested Nov. 24 and Flunoy Nov. 25. Both men were re-interviewed by investigators but both stuck close to their original statements and neither admitted involvement in the killing, authorities said.