Samantha Bree Runnion
July 26, 1996 - July 15, 2002
Samantha Bree Runnion was born on July 26, 1996. People described
Samantha as beautiful, bright, and joyful. Samantha loved to read, write
stories, play her guitar, paint, draw, sing, and dance. Samantha
especially loved playing games with her family and friends. Samantha was
looking forward to growing up. At five years old, she had already
planned to become a mommy and a teacher.
On July 15, 2002, five year old Samantha was outside her home playing
with her friend, Sarah. Sarah was the same age as Samantha. A man
approached the girls in a car and asked them "Have you seen my
chihuahua?" Samantha was a very nice and kind little girl, and she loved
animals. She spoke with the man briefly, telling him that she didn't
see his dog. Before anything else could happen, the man had pulled
Samantha into his car and started driving off.
Samantha fought to get free, and managed to scream out to her friend
Sarah, "Help me! Tell my grandmother!" Sarah ran and told her mother
about what had just happened to Samantha. The search began quickly.
Sarah as only five years old, but she was able to give a very good
description of the man who she saw kidnap her friend. She was also able
to give details about his car.
On July 16, 2002, the day after Samantha was kidnapped, a distraught man
called 911 reporting that he had found a body. He said the body was
that of a little girl, and that she was nude. He found the body along
rural Highway 74. Authorities soon confirmed that the body belonged to
Samantha. An autopsy reported that Samantha had been sexually assaulted,
suffered physical trauma, and was strangled. The murderer spent several
hours with Samantha before he killed her.
Orange County Sheriff Michael Carona delivered a strong message to the
killer: "Don't sleep. Don't eat. Because we're coming after you. We will
take every resource that's available to us to bring you to justice."
Caller’s tips lead the FBI to Alejandro Avila, 27, a production line
supervisor from nearby Lake Elsinore. Avila reportedly denied any
involvement in the murder, telling the police that he was 30 miles away
on the day of the abduction. Phone and credit card records did not
support his alibi.
Avila had previously been to the apartment complex where Samantha lived
during 1998 and 1999. His ex-girlfriend’s daughter lived in the same
complex as the Runnion family. His relationship with the woman ended in
1999 and in 2000. In 2001, Avila was charged with molestation of her
nine-year-old daughter and another young girl, but was acquitted on all
charges.Avila was arrested and charged with the murder, kidnapping, and two
counts of forcible lewd acts on Samantha Runnion.
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