LOS ANGELES (KNX) — The reward money for information leading to the conviction of the person responsible for shooting and later dumping the body of a 16-year-old girl alongside the 110 Freeway increased to $110,000 Wednesday, following a contribution from both the state and city of Los Angeles.
Tioni Theus’ body was discovered with a gunshot wound to the neck on Jan. 8 on the side of the Harbor Freeway on the Manchester Avenue on-ramp near South Figueroa Street in South L.A. Wednesday, L.A. District Attorney George Gascón, suggested that the teen may have been a victim of human trafficking.
"There is evidence indicating that this young girl may have been the victim of human trafficking," Gascón said. "And this speaks to why we need to do more for survivors of human trafficking, especially children who are exceptionally vulnerable."
Theus was last seen on Jan. 7, when she told her father she was meeting a friend to go to a party, Gascón said, asking the public's help in bringing the teen to justice.
The sizable reward for information surrounding the 16-year-old's death began Monday, when Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell motioned for L.A. County to offer $10,000 to help solve the case. That motion was approved Tuesday.
“Time and time again, missing and victimized black women and girls are overlooked in comparison to their counterparts,” Mitchell said, explaining why she led the charge for justice for Theus.
Wednesday, a city motion by L.A. City Councilmembers Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Curren D. Price, Jr. was approved — adding $50,000 to the reward pot.
In addition to those funds, Gov. Gavin Newsom approved and added $50,000 from the state to the reward, according to Harris-Dawson.
During the press conference Wednesday, Assemblymember Mike Gipson called out Theus' killers.
“She’s someone’s daughter that was taken away from us, sensely. And for the cowards who did this — we’re going to muster the resources that are necessary to bring you to justice,” Gipson said.
“No family should have to go through losing a daughter, a child, in this manner.”
Gipson said he personally wrote to Newsom to request a crime tip reward for the case under the state’s penal code 1547.
“We’ll continue to work with the governor’s office, to ask the governor’s office to utilize his resources,” Gipson said. “She was our daughter. Whether or not we’ve ever known her or not. Whether or not our DNA ever matched…whether or not we even knew her name until today…and we want to send a clear message…enough is enough!”
Jesus Holguin, Assistant Chief of the California Highway Patrol, said his department is asking anyone who was driving in the area where Theus’ body was found to check their car cameras for anything that could lead to evidence in the case.
“This incident occurred on a saturday morning, there’s people that were driving by,” he said. “There has to be individuals out there that eyewitnessed at least a portion, if not the entirety, of this case.”
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call CHP at 323-644-9557.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Related
