A teenager was slain in a Santa Ana drive-by. Could a reward help find her killer? - BERITAJA

A teen killed successful a drive-by shooting successful Santa Ana is 1 of respective cases Gov. Gavin Newsom is hoping to ace pinch a recently announced slate of $50,000 rewards.

It’s been almost 7 years since Victoria Barrios, 18, was changeable and killed, and her slaying has maintained a precocious floor plan successful the city. A run depicted Barrios successful a bluish headdress and gown pinch the caption, “Who killed my daughter?”

Eva Barrios, Victoria’s mother, hasn’t been capable to spend to support the s up successful caller years, but hopes the authorities reward draws renewed attraction to the case.

“I americium hopeful that group don’t conscionable spot the reward amount, but get successful touch pinch their humanity,” she said. “I dream they recognize that my daughter’s lawsuit is still unsolved and those responsible for her execution are still retired there.”

Santa Ana constabulary detectives don’t judge that Victoria Barrios was the intended target of a suspected gang-related shooting connected Aug. 30, 2019.

Barrios, who was not a pack member, was stepping pinch 2 friends erstwhile she was struck successful the precocious torso by gunfire conscionable aft midnight adjacent 500 E. Pine Street successful Santa Ana. Paramedics pronounced her dormant astatine the scene.

A teenage boy was besides injured.

Police recovered video surveillance of the shooting, which showed gunfire erupting from a reddish four-door Chevrolet. But the way has grown acold complete the years.

Newsom first offered a $50,000 reward successful the Barrios lawsuit 2 years ago. The Santa Ana Police Department has offered its ain reward successful that magnitude for accusation starring to arrests and convictions successful the unsolved crime.

“Every family deserves answers and justice,” Newsom said successful a Friday statement. “These rewards nonstop a connection that each lawsuit matters, each unfortunate matters and that we are each moving towards accrued accountability.”

Under authorities law, Santa Ana constabulary asked Newsom to rumor the reward for the Barrios case, arsenic investigative leads person been exhausted.

In summation to Barrios, Newsom has extended $50,000 rewards for respective unsolved murders passim the state, 10 of them successful Southern California.

Those see the fatal stabbing of Alan Schwalbe, 61, successful his Costa Mesa home, which has remained nether investigation since 1993. Also eligible for reward is accusation connected the decease of Iran Moreno, 13, who was killed aft a stray slug struck him done the chamber model of his Pasadena location successful 2021.

Several of the unsolved Southern California cases are being investigated successful San Diego County, including the fatal shooting deaths of Corneilius Brown successful La Mesa successful 2021; Lamontee Stevenson successful San Diego successful 2019; Arthur Jordan successful San Diego successful 2018; and Gregory Ruffin successful San Diego successful 2019.

A reward has besides been offered for accusation successful the lawsuit of Teresa Madrigal, a Riverside County resident whose assemblage was recovered successful San Diego County aft she vanished during a 1999 shopping trip.

Eric Velasquez, 21, of Santa Paula, who was fatally changeable successful 1994; and Tioni Theus, 16, whose assemblage was recovered on the 110 Freeway successful South Los Angeles successful 2022, information retired the remainder of the reward cases.

In the meantime, Eva Barrios continues to item her daughter’s communicative done societal media. She remembers her arsenic a “loving, benignant and compassionate young lady.”

The lead detective connected the lawsuit has assured her that calls proceed to travel successful and location person been caller updates, but specifications are limited.

“People do care,” she said. “I’m hopeful location could beryllium an apprehension earlier the seven-year day of my daughter’s murder. It’s conscionable a matter of time.”