Funeral held for Tioni Theus, the 16-year-old found dead alongside 110 Freeway

Mourners hug at funeral services for 16-year-old Tioni Theus in Los Angeles.
Mourners hug on the Home of Winston in South L.A. throughout funeral providers Thursday for Tioni Theus. The 16-year-old’s physique was discovered Jan. 8 alongside a 110 Freeway onramp in South L.A. with a gunshot wound within the neck.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Occasions)

Someday after a reward fund swelled in hopes of producing suggestions resulting in the killer of Tioni Theus, funeral providers had been held Thursday for the 16-year-old woman who was shot and left alongside a South Los Angeles freeway.

Tioni’s physique was found Jan. 8 on the aspect of the 110 Freeway on the Manchester Avenue onramp close to South Figueroa Avenue. Tioni was final seen Jan. 7 after telling a member of the family she was going to satisfy a good friend to go to a celebration, officers stated.

The state on Wednesday added $50,000 to a rising reward for info resulting in the arrest and conviction of the particular person answerable for the teenager’s loss of life. The county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday accredited a $10,000 reward within the case. Los Angeles Metropolis Councilmen Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Curren Value have launched a movement for town to supply a further $50,000.

Mourners pay their respects at a funeral.
Mourners pay their respects at a funeral for Tioni Theus on the Home of Winston in South L.A. on Thursday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Occasions)

Quite a lot of elected officers, together with Dist. Atty. George Gascón, held a information convention Wednesday to attraction to the public in monitoring down the woman’s killer or killers.

The district lawyer stated there may be proof indicating that “this younger woman might have been the sufferer of human trafficking,” noting that the investigation into her loss of life is ongoing.

“We want the general public’s assist,” Gascón stated. “Please assist carry Tioni’s assassin to justice, and when you've got any info, please contact the California Freeway Patrol.”

He didn't elaborate on the human-trafficking allegation. The woman’s cousins stated final week that Tioni had been pulled into prostitution and theft by a person she met on Instagram.

Mourners hold up a photo of Tioni Theus during her funeral.
Mourners maintain up a funeral program with Tioni Theus’ picture on the Home of Winston in South Los Angeles on Thursday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Occasions)

“We’re undoubtedly not pretending that Tioni was an angel,” cousin Nafeesah Kincy stated. “She confronted trauma. I need to humanize her. I don’t need her to be seen as a prostitute or a runaway or any individual that folks really feel like, ‘Oh effectively, they stay that way of life.’”

One other cousin, Senia Theus, stated she doesn't suppose Tioni was the sufferer of intercourse trafficking.

“I’m not going to make it and say my child was excellent, however not horrible both,” Theus stated. “She was taken away too quickly. We had been at all times combating for that child. We simply wished her to be a youngster.”

Family and friends gather at Tioni Theus' funeral.
Household and mates collect on the Home of Winston in South L.A. for Tioni Theus’ funeral Thursday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Occasions)
An image of Tioni Theus, seen smiling, on a funeral program.
A picture of Tioni Theus, seen smiling, on a program at her funeral in Los Angeles.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Occasions)
Activist Najee Ali comforts Tioni Theus' father, during a funeral.
Activist Najee Ali, left, comforts Tioni Theus’ father on the funeral in South Los Angeles on Thursday.
(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Occasions)

The Metropolis Information Service contributed to this report.

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