Xiomara J., a 9-year-old Latina girl, was stabbed to death Saturday, April 28, near Woodruff Avenue and Willow Street in Long Beach, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.
The young girl's bloodied body was discovered by a passerby Saturday morning in a church parking lot next to her stepfather. He was suffering from self-inflicted wounds, police said.
Xiomara had fatal cuts to her upper body and was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. The step-father was taken to the hospital for treatment.
Next to the girl’s body were letters written in blood on the side of what appeared to be a gray shipping container. Authorities are considering the scrawl as evidence in the case.
The stepfather has since been identified as Jacinto Zuniga Trujillo, a 31-year-old Latino. After being treated at the hospital, he was arrested and charged with one count of murder with the special circumstance that the victim was killed because she was a witness to a crime, the district attorney's office said.
Additionally, Trujillo was charged with five counts of oral copulation/sexual penetration with a child under the age of 10 involving Xiomara. The felony complaint alleges the sexual assaults took place between Nov. 1, 2011 and April 28, the day of the killing.
Trujillo is currently being held without bail at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in downtown L.A. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 22 at Los Angeles County Superior Court in Long Beach.
Anyone with information about the slaying is urged to call Long Beach Police homicide Det. Scott Lasch and Donald Goodman at (562) 570-7244. Tipsters wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
— Los Angeles Times
