Vigil Held for Slain Teen, Killer Still At Large

Moreno Valley - A killer was at-large today as a community mourned the slaying of 17-year-old Norma Angelica Lopez, who was abducted last week on her way home from summer school in east Moreno Valley.

Hundreds of people gathered Wednesday night at Valley View High School to pay tribute and shed tears for Norma, who disappeared one week ago this morning.

Norma left a summer class the morning of July 15 at Valley View High School and took a shortcut through a field as she walked toward a residence in the 27300 block of Cottonwood Avenue, about 2 1/2 miles from where her body was found Tuesday on rural Theodore Street. When she didn't arrive at the residence, a search for her ensued.

An autopsy Wednesday confirmed the remains as Norma's, and the news sent shock waves through her social circle, her school of about 3,000 students, and Moreno Valley, a city of about 186,000 some 65 miles east of Los Angeles.

The stands of Valley View High's football field, which hold 2,800 people, were nearly filled for a candlelight vigil for Norma on Wednesday night, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reported.

"There are no words to describe how I'm feeling now: rage, anger, sorrow," Norma's friend, Melanie Villarreal, told the newspaper. "There's nothing to keep us safe. You can't turn your back in Moreno Valley without worrying about something happening."

Members of Norma's family sat on the football field and sobbed as they embraced and listened to stories of Norma, the Press-Enterprise reported. They left the memorial without addressing the crowd.

The vigil was organized by word-of-mouth and the Internet.

Students sang songs and shared memories of going to school with the bubbly, shy girl with voluminous hair and big earrings, the Press-Enterprise reported.

"The investigation has changed from an abducted person to a homicide," Riverside County sheriff's Sgt. Joe Borja said during a news briefing earlier Wednesday, after remains discovered on Theodore Street were identified as Norma.

"We haven't stopped investigating every lead since we were first notified of the abduction. We will continue to follow every lead we have."

The body, found just before 3 p.m. Tuesday in high grass off Theodore Street, near Dracaea Avenue, could not immediately be identified. Investigators relied on dental records to confirm it was Norma's, according to Borja.

A property owner doing outdoor work on his tractor spotted the remains. The area where they were found is remote, with few houses. A commercial development lies about a half-mile from the site, across from a farming operation.

The isolated stretch of road leads toward the brown hills of the Badlands to the north. To the south a few miles distant are small mountains and ridges surrounding manmade Lake Perris.

Borja said another crime victim's remains were found in the same general location within the past year, but did not provide details about that case.

Borja would not disclose how Norma died, or whether she was sexually assaulted, noting it was "very vital" to keep the information under wraps for the sake of the investigation.

Borja urged parents to be vigilant and ensure their children's safety.

"There's a murderer out there. Keep track of your children," Borja said. "It's probably our worst nightmare that our kids can be taken from the street and killed."

The missing girl's belongings were found on the trail she was using, suggesting a struggle, according to Borja.

A green sport utility vehicle was seen speeding away from the area around the time of her disappearance. Borja said investigators would still like to know who was in the vehicle -- even just to rule the occupants out as suspects.

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 on the case was urged to call (877) 242-4345.