Brenda Sierra

Brenda Sierra, 15, was found dead.Seven years ago, police asked Fabiola Saavedra to view photographs to identify a body they believed to be her 15-year-old sister, Brenda Sierra. She recognized a pair of hoop earrings and knew it was Brenda.

The case is being actively investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Cold Case Unit.

“We believe that Brenda was killed as retaliation by gang members in the neighborhood responsible for a shooting that Brenda’s brother and mother witnessed a few weeks earlier,” said Sgt Tom Harris, who heads the unit.

Gloria Molina, a Los Angeles County supervisor, had requested that the case be transferred from San Bernardino County, where the remains were found, to Los Angeles County.

Molina’s office has been instrumental in having the $150,000 reward offer extended for an additional six months to a year.

Harris said police want to talk to a man named Jorge Barraza because, police say, he associated with the gang members arrested in the shooting Brenda’s mother and brother witnessed.

Police have been unable to locate Barraza and believe he is in Mexico. He is not a suspect in the case.

Courtesy CNN