Norma Lopez, 17 |
MORENO VALLEY -- Funeral services were held today slain Moreno Valley teenager, Norma Lopez.
Lopez's casket was draped in pink and white roses and sat at the head of the church with candles burning next to photos of her.
The Valley View High School student disappeared while walking home from a summer school class on July 15.
Her body was found in field near Theodore St. and Dracaea Avenue several days later.
The search for her killer continues.
Police have questioned registered sex offenders and conducted vehicle checkpoints in the search for a suspect.
Fourteen registered sex offenders live within two miles of the high school where Lopez was last seen, according to the Megan's Law website.
Police are also searching for a newer green SUV that was seen near the field where Lopez disappeared.
The SUV is not considered a suspect vehicle, but investigators think the driver may be able to provide them with valuable clues.
Police have not released any information about how the 17-year-old girl was killed or if she was sexually assaulted. They also have not said if there are any suspects in the case.
Her father said that police took blood samples from Lopez's sisters and mother and took hairs from her brush as part of the investigation.
Police are warning parents and students to be extra vigilant as they search for the murderer.
"We haven't caught the suspect who killed Norma, so obviously there is at least a murderer out there. So I would be vigilant, I would be aware. If I was a parent, I would keep track of my children. I would do everything I could to ensure their safety,'' Riverside County Sheriff's Sgt. Joe Borja said.
Family members told police the teen usually walked home from school south on Nason Street to Dracaea Avenue and then took a shortcut through a field south to Cottonwood.
The field, a well-known neighborhood shortcut, is off a street that dead-ends at the base of boulder-studded hills cut with trails.
Items belonging to Lopez were found in a field near her home and there also were signs of a possible struggle.
Authorities did not want to reveal the contents of those belongings, citing the ongoing investigation.
Anyone with information in the case is asked to call the Moreno Valley Police Hotline at 1-877-242-4345.
Meanwhile, several groups are contributing funds to the reward set up by Moreno Valley and the FBI for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Lopez's killer or killers.
The reward stands at $35,000 and a group of private donors and elected officials are offering another reward of $55,000.
Anyone who wants to contribute to the fund can drop off donations at City Hall, 14177 Frederick St., or mail checks to the city at Norma Lopez Reward Fund, City of Moreno Valley, P.O. Box 88005, Moreno Valley, CA 92552-0805.
Lopez's casket was draped in pink and white roses and sat at the head of the church with candles burning next to photos of her.
The Valley View High School student disappeared while walking home from a summer school class on July 15.
Her body was found in field near Theodore St. and Dracaea Avenue several days later.
The search for her killer continues.
Police have questioned registered sex offenders and conducted vehicle checkpoints in the search for a suspect.
Fourteen registered sex offenders live within two miles of the high school where Lopez was last seen, according to the Megan's Law website.
Police are also searching for a newer green SUV that was seen near the field where Lopez disappeared.
The SUV is not considered a suspect vehicle, but investigators think the driver may be able to provide them with valuable clues.
Police have not released any information about how the 17-year-old girl was killed or if she was sexually assaulted. They also have not said if there are any suspects in the case.
Her father said that police took blood samples from Lopez's sisters and mother and took hairs from her brush as part of the investigation.
Police are warning parents and students to be extra vigilant as they search for the murderer.
"We haven't caught the suspect who killed Norma, so obviously there is at least a murderer out there. So I would be vigilant, I would be aware. If I was a parent, I would keep track of my children. I would do everything I could to ensure their safety,'' Riverside County Sheriff's Sgt. Joe Borja said.
Family members told police the teen usually walked home from school south on Nason Street to Dracaea Avenue and then took a shortcut through a field south to Cottonwood.
The field, a well-known neighborhood shortcut, is off a street that dead-ends at the base of boulder-studded hills cut with trails.
Items belonging to Lopez were found in a field near her home and there also were signs of a possible struggle.
Authorities did not want to reveal the contents of those belongings, citing the ongoing investigation.
Anyone with information in the case is asked to call the Moreno Valley Police Hotline at 1-877-242-4345.
Meanwhile, several groups are contributing funds to the reward set up by Moreno Valley and the FBI for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Lopez's killer or killers.
The reward stands at $35,000 and a group of private donors and elected officials are offering another reward of $55,000.
Anyone who wants to contribute to the fund can drop off donations at City Hall, 14177 Frederick St., or mail checks to the city at Norma Lopez Reward Fund, City of Moreno Valley, P.O. Box 88005, Moreno Valley, CA 92552-0805.
