Tioni Theus: Los Angeles County offers a $10,000 prize for information leading to the death of an adolescent discovered on the side of the 110 Freeway.
SOUTH LOS ANGELES, Calif. (CSU) — The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors authorized a $10,000 prize Tuesday to assist uncover the murderer of a 16-year-old girl whose corpse was discovered beside the 110 Freeway in South L.A.
Meanwhile, two members of the Los Angeles City Council presented a resolution asking for the city to give a $50,000 prize for information leading to Tioni Theus’s death.
The resolution introduced by Councilmen Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Curren Price is anticipated to be voted on next week.
Tioni’s corpse was discovered on the morning of Jan. 8 after vehicles reported spotting her at the southbound highway on-ramp on Manchester Avenue. According to the coroner’s office, the adolescent was shot in the neck.
Supervisor Holly Mitchell recommended the county incentive, as well as a $10,000 prize granted by the board for information in the death of 16-year-old Ricardo Trujillo Ramirez, who was fatally shot Sept. 24 while going to his vehicle with friends in the 1900 block of East Pine Street in Compton.
Mitchell said that she introduced the reward motions to draw attention to the “lack of attention killings of individuals in certain areas truly receive.”
According to the county motion, “Ms. Theus resided in Compton and attended Centennial High School.” “She was supposed to be living with her father while her mother healed from a tragic hit-and-run accident,” according to family members, “and she was a straight-A student who enjoyed dancing and golf.”
“Investigators are requesting that anybody with information regarding this event contact the California Highway Patrol.” A reward will entice members of the public to come forward with information that can assist in identifying the person(s) guilty for her killing.”
The board’s decision came after her family and community activists lobbied for a reward, saying that race was a role.
According to activists, the lack of a reward in the killing of the young Black girl contrasts sharply with efforts that resulted in a $250,000 reward offered in the search for the killer of Brianna Kupfer, a Pacific Palisades resident and UCLA grad student who was fatally stabbed inside a boutique furniture store in Hancock Park on Jan. 13.
“I’m heartbroken by her demise. She was murdered.” “They captured the criminal, got a reward, and everything happened quickly,” Tioni’s cousin Senia Theus said. “Justice is what we seek.” Money isn’t a worry for me… We will go to whatever extent to remove this thug from the streets and put Tioni to justice.”
“Tioni was a little girl full of promise, excitement, and enthusiasm, with God-given qualities and talents to share with the world,” Price remarked at the time. She had a lot to live for and a lot of unmet ambitions. It’s distressing to know that the person or individuals who killed her are still on the loose, while a family and a community grieve in search of answers.”
“I stand in solidarity with the Theus family and other Angelenos seeking justice in her name so that her family and loved ones may have peace of mind knowing that those who decided to take her life will be held responsible.”
Follow us on Twitter
Also, Read Families Call for Justice After 3 Women Killed in Violent Crimes in Recent Days
