A long-unsolved cold case was finally closed when a woman was apprehended in connection to the death of a newborn found in a California dumpster almost 37 years ago. Melissa Jean Allen Avila, 55, was arrested on a murder charge and is being held at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility, Riverside Police Department reported.
It’s alleged that Avila, then 19 years old, disposed of her deceased newborn daughter in a dumpster in Riverside, California, in October 1987. The baby was discovered by a man looking for recyclable items. The baby’s death was ruled a homicide by the Riverside County Coroner’s Office, but investigators ran out of leads in identifying a suspect. However, in 2020 the case was revisited, leading to Avila being identified as the infant’s mother through DNA testing.
Avila was located living in Shelby, North Carolina and was arrested before being extradited to California. According to detectives, they have found no evidence suggesting the child’s father was involved in the crime. Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez expressed gratitude for the tireless efforts from investigators and assured his team’s dedication to attaining justice for victims and closure for their families. Avila’s court hearing is scheduled for September 9.