Family members told KTLA this week that Taquesta Graham and her boyfriend Emiel Hunt had been detained by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department as persons of interest in the case.
The boyfriend of the mother of a 9-year-old girl whose body was found sticking out of a duffel bag has been charged with the child's murder.
Trinity Love Jones, 9, was identified Sunday as the victim after her body was found on a trail in Hacienda Heights on March 5 by county maintenance workers. Authorities had said the body was there for less than 48 hours when it was found and put out a sketch to help identify the child.
Family members told KTLA this week that Taquesta Graham and her boyfriend Emiel Hunt had been detained by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department as persons of interest in the case.
Hunt briefly appeared in court on Tuesday morning, where his arraignment was delayed until next month. He is being held on $2 million bond.
Graham is not listed in the jail database and did not appear in court, though relatives reportedly said that she too is being held on $2 million bond. Graham is a registered sex offender, according to California's sex offender registry.
Hunt has a prior conviction for child abuse in 2005, according to the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office, which said in a press release that Trinity was likely killed on or about March 1.
He faces 50 years to life in prison if convicted.
Trinity's father, Antonio Jones, said he was devastated to learn his daughter was the victim in the suitcase.
“Words can’t explain what I’m feeling right now,” Jones told KTLA over the weekend. “I just want answers. I just want justice.”
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