UPDATE ON SAMANTHA (CA) Arrest made in murder!!!!!!!

7/19/02 | Joe Hadenuf

[Joe Hadenuf]

Update from OC Sheriff... Press conference..

Playing 911 tape of the people that found the body, male caller was extremely upset, and scared, he was crying, and telling 911 the location but the cell phone transmission was breaking up and was disconnected.

They called the telephone number he left before the disconnect and they called his home and got a messege machine. He called back within minutes and made contact again with 911 and was almost hysterical and crying saying it was little girl and was very distraught,

When Cell caller got home he called again from home phone and recontacted 911, 911 said they would pick him up and the he could show him where the body was.

End of 911 tape

Press conference continues, stating over 2000 citizens have given leads......

Another press conference at 6 PM

At 955 AM they made an arrest alihondro avial DOB 3-1375

[Mo1]

OMG .. did you hear that

[Mo1]

They are reporting they have made an arrest

[Thane_Banquo]

Poor guy who found the body. My prayers are with him, that he will not be haunted by the horror for the rest of his life.

[Joe Hadenuf]

At 955 AM they made an arrest Alihondro Avial DOB 3-13-75

Suspect lived in Lake Elsinore area, 27 years old, search warrents have been served.........

[Siouxz]

Who was arrested?

[Joe Hadenuf]

At 955 AM they made an arrest Alihondro Avial DOB 3-13-75

Check spelling I am typing fast, Last name Avilla??

[alisasny]

A 27 year old hispanic Alejandro Avila (sp?)

[Siouxz]

Great! Let's hope they got the right guy!!

[Mo1]

There we be more details at 6pm local time

[ctonious]

This update is very confusing. Is it implying that the caller that discovered the body is the arrested suspect?? If not, then the 911 call doesn't really have anything to do with the arrest of the suspect.

[oc-flyfish]

Good job sheriff Carona!

Now... just release him into the general prison population for a little while... Bubba wants to meet him...

[crystalk]

It said they had arrested one Alejandro Avial, aged 27, but did not say whether this was in Fresno, or Orange County, or Riverside County.

So much reference to Elsinore that I do believe he must live out there, near where body was left and in Riverside Co of course.

[Joe Hadenuf]

27 year old named AVILA,

ARREST HAS BEEN MADE, NEXT NEW CONFERENCE AT 6P. SUSPECT HAD GREEN VEHICLE, NEIGHBOR NOTICED NEIGHBOR THAT SUSPECT WAS EXAMINING HIS VEHICLE CLOSELY....

HE WAS QUESTIONED ALL NIGHT LONG AND THE ARRESTED!!!!!!!!!!

[oc-flyfish]

I read an earlier reports that he lives in Lake Elsinore which is in Riverside county.

[Travis McGee]

(From KFI 640Los Angles)

Arrested man's name probably spelled ALEXANDRO AVILA

They searched his mom's apartment yesterday, Lake Elsinore or Lake Arrowhead (?)

Neighbors reported Avila's suspicious behaviour around his car yesterday. Avila's story has reportedly changed several times.

[alisasny]

THE 911 CALLER WHO FOUND BODY IS NOT A SUSPECT.

[cgk]

That poor guy who found the body - he even said on the 911 tape it might be "the little girl on the news." He had to take the authorities to where he found the body. He will definitely be haunted by this for - ever.

They arrested Alejandro Avila - 27. Apparently he told his mom at the time of Samantha's abduction he was in Ontario - talking to her on his cell phone. While he was being detained yesterday, he told his mom he was being held at a hotel by deputies awaiting test results from the crime scene. It sounds like they found something to match to him.

I can still only continue to pray for Samantha's family & friends. You can never have closure in something like this.

Mrs Kus

[freedom4ever]

We should make it clear that they didn't say he was the one who did it or that he was the one they suspected of doing it. He was arrested in connection with the murder. No details were given as to why he was arrested. More info at 6:00 PM.