She was beaten to death with a hammer, then burned beyond recognition. It’s the first murder in Aurora in more than a year.

The victim is Abigail Villalpando,18. Police say the suspects were her friends. Juan Garnica, Jr. is charged with the murder. Enrique Prado and Jose Becerra are accused of helping Garnica conceal the homicide.

On Thursday, Villalpando went to Prado’s home. Police say Garnica hit her several times in the head with a hammer, then drove her car to the High Street Bridge and set the car on fire. The next day, Garnica and Prado torched Villapando’s body in a container and Becerra helped them dump the remains in a wooded area in Montgomery, police said.

She was reported missing on Friday when she didn’t show up for her waitressing job at the Denny’s near Fox Valley Shopping Center. Villalpando had recently transferred to West Aurora High School. Grief counselors were at the school on Monday.

A judge set bail for Garnica at $5 million. Prado is being held on $100,000 bail. Becerra is due in bond court, Tuesday morning.

No motive has been released.

Three Aurora men have been charged with the brutal murder of a young woman.

18-year-old Juan Garnica Junior, 19-year-old Enrique Prado and 20-year-old Jose Becerra are accused in the death of 18-year-old Abigail Villalpando of Aurora, according to police.

Villalpando’s body was found burned beyond recognition in a wooded area in Montgomery Saturday morning. Police say she was beaten with a hammer and died from blunt force trauma to the head.  She was identified using dental records, police said.

According to the medical examiner, Villalpando died from blunt force trauma.  Detectives have not yet established a definitive motive.

There were no homicides recorded  in Aurora in 2012, which is the second biggest city in Illinois after Chicago.

Bond will be set tomorrow in Kane County Court for the three men.