| Samantha Runnion |
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Information AboutSamantha Runnion |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT MURDER OF SAMANTHA RUNNION | |
| 1996 births | |
| 2002 deaths | |
| 2002 crimes | |
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| 2002 in the united states | |
| murdered american children | |
| people from orange county, california | |
| kidnapped children | |
Samantha Bree Runnion ( July 26 , 1996 - July 15 , 2002 ) was an American murder victim. KIDNAP AND MURDER Samantha was kidnapped, , at the time of her death, was about to turn six when she died. Her battered, naked body was found the following day by two men who were hang gliding off the mountainside near Ortega Highway in Riverside County, California . The suspect, a Lake Elsinore, California , man named Alejandro Avila , was convicted for the crime in 2005. He was arrested three days after the abduction. Avila had previously been to the apartment complex where the Runnions lived, as his ex-girlfriend and her daughter had also lived there. His relationship with the woman ended in 2000. He had also been charged in 2001 with molesting the ex-girlfriend's nine-year-old daughter and another girl but was acquitted. Avila was not on the California Sex Offenders Register as he had not been convicted of any offences. On May 16 , 2005 , the jury recommended that he receive the Death Penalty . On July 22 , 2005 , the judge in the case formally sentenced Avila to death. During the sentencing phase of the case, Erin Runnion, Samantha's mother, was visibly angry. She said "You better pay attention!" as well as mentioning that Avila was "a disgrace to the human race." 1 JOYFUL CHILD FOUNDATION The Joyful Child Foundation was established in her memory. It aims to facilitate the development of child watch programs in local communities through the U.S. through the Samantha's Pride program. In addition, it also seeks to encourage research and development into the psyche of predators and develop communication programs for parents and children. REFERENCES SEE ALSO EXTERNAL REFERENCES
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