Body Of Missing Teen Found In Moreno Valley

Riverside County Sheriff’s investigators confirm human remains found Tuesday in a Moreno Valley neighborhood are that of a missing 17-year-old girl.

Sheriff’s spokesman Joseph Borja said Wednesday they identified the body of Norma Lopez after an autopsy earlier in the morning.

The body was found around 3 p.m., apparently by a resident, near Theodore Street and Dracaea Avenue. Investigators would not say whether the remains were of a male or female.

Lopez disappeared Thursday morning after she finished a summer class at Valley View High School and took a shortcut across a field to a residence in the 27300 block of Cottonwood Avenue.

The missing girl’s belongings were found on the trail she was using, suggesting a struggle, he said.

A green sport utility vehicle was seen speeding away from the area around the time of her disappearance.

A $35,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for killing the girl.

Anyone with information was urged to call (877) 242-4345 or email a tip to findnormaskiller@riversidesheriff.org.

The lead homicide investigator on the case is Investigator Merill. He can be reached at 951-955-2777.

If you’d like to help increase the reward amount an account has been setup and you can donate to it at any Wells Fargo Bank.