Police searching for a missing 15-year-old girl who disappeared with two murder suspects have found their car abandoned near the Mexico border in California.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement released on Friday, April 19, that police found an empty white BMW sedan in the San Ysidro area, which is known as a major border crossing into Mexico.
#AMBERAlert!
Alora was last seen on April 17, 2019 in Redondo Beach, #California. She may be in the company of an adult male and female. They may be traveling in a 2013 White BMW with NV plates MARIMAR.
Poster: https://t.co/ruKk0pqIRz pic.twitter.com/sQEAIJfN7Q— NCMEC (@MissingKids) April 18, 2019
The 15-year-old teen, Alora Benitez, was last seen in Torrance, Calif. in the vehicle on April 17, along with her mother, Maricela Mercado, 40; and Roman Cerratos, 39; both of whom are suspected of killing a man, authorities said.
The car, a 2013 BMW with four doors, had a Nevada license plate reading “MARIMAR.”
Both adults are considered “armed and dangerous” and are suspects in a murder investigation, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
#AmberAlert – Alora Benitez last Seen in a Wht, 2013 BMW 4-door sedan, Nevada Lic. Plate “MARIMAR” with mother and an adult Male. Both are murder suspects and are considered armed and dangerous. Visit the link for more info…https://t.co/ptRsm1CFiC pic.twitter.com/9KzBFdPxt0
— LA County Sheriff’s (@LASDHQ) April 18, 2019
“Her family is concerned for her safety,” police said in a statement.
The victim, Jeffrey Appel, 32, was found dead in the front seat of a white Audi in the city of Carson, Calif., on April 16, police said.
“Alora Benitez’s mother and the adult male are murder suspects in an investigation of a male who was found dead in the front seat of a White Audi that was parked behind 400 Block of East Carson Plaza Drive in the city Carson on (Tuesday),” the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in the statement.
#BREAKING: BMW involved in Amber Alert found in San Ysidro; teen still missing with mom, mom’s ex-husband accused in Carson homicide https://t.co/ZjhcTh5Mb4
— KTLA (@KTLA) April 20, 2019
While authorities have not revealed how Appel was killed, or what the motive behind the killing might have been, according to KTLA, “what appeared to be blood was visible on the exterior of the car he was in, and what looked like a trail of blood extended across the parking lot and into the street.”
Lt. Brandon Dean said in a statement that the victim’s cause of death was still pending, while an earlier report described the crime as a deadly stabbing.
Appel was from Las Vegas and Mercado has family in Nevada, however, it is unclear whether she or Cerratos had any connection to Appel, police said.
CALIFORNIA: Amber Alert for 15-year-old Alora Benitez, last seen in Torrance at 9 am. Her mother and a man with them are murder suspects. Call 9-1-1 if seen. (Source: LA Co. Sheriff’s Dept) pic.twitter.com/145CWKTfmQ
— U.S. Emergency Alert (@ENSAlerts) April 18, 2019
Authorities describe the teen as 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 100 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
Cerratos is described as a Hispanic man measuring around 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing about 210 pounds with a bald head and brown eyes. Mercado is a Hispanic woman who is roughly 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighing around 130 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes, officials said.
#AMBERALERT: issued for 15-year-old Alora Benitez. She may be in the company of two suspects wanted in connection to a homicide case in Carson. SHARE TO BRING HER HOME SAFELY: https://t.co/jjC7N2L2ww pic.twitter.com/VSEDYLBQ1b
— FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) April 18, 2019
It is unclear whether the teenager voluntarily left with the suspects.
The level of severity of the amber alert is “Extreme—Extraordinary threat to life or property.”
Authorities have appealed to the public for help in locating the missing teen.
Anyone with information on this investigation may call Detective Lawler or Detective Blagg with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department at 323-890-5500.
#LASD Homicide Investigators are asking for your help identifying & locating the murder suspects. 15 yr old Alora Benitez was last seen with the suspects. https://t.co/3FoBj4U96s … https://t.co/JVIURpy322 pic.twitter.com/oIY6IGPnjI
— LA County Sheriff’s (@LASDHQ) April 18, 2019
