Police Ask For Public’s Help in Murder of Teen Girl Tossed Dead on Side of Freeway, $115K Reward Offered

Tioni Theus may have been a victim of juvenile sex trafficking

Authorities in Southern California are offering a $115,000 reward as they appeal for help from the public in the search for a teen girl’s killer.

As ABC7 news reports, Tioni Theus, 16, was found dead on January 8th near a southbound on-ramp connecting to the 110 freeway in Los Angeles. A medical examiner determined that Tioni had been fatally shot in the neck.

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon reportedly said that Tioni may have been the victim of human trafficking, NBC Los Angeles reports.

According to KTLA, the victim reportedly left her home in Compton to go to a party with an “Instagram friend ” on January 7,  the night before she was found dead.

“The incident occurred on a Saturday morning, there’s people that were driving by,” California Highway Patrol Assistant Chief Jesus Holguin told reporters. “There has to be individuals out there that eyewitnessed at least a portion if not the entirety of this case.”

City, county, and state officials have offered a $110,000 reward, supplement by $5,000 from the community nonprofit Operation Hope, for a total reward of $115,000.

Anyone with information is urged to call CHP at 323-644-9550.

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