Calif. Town Locked Down After Girl, 8, Murdered

Police searched door-to-door for Leila Fowler's killer
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 29, 2013 6:31 AM CDT
Calif. Town Locked Down After Girl, 8, Murdered
Map locates Valley Springs, Ca.   (AP)

A tiny Northern California town was shut down over the weekend amid a manhunt for the murderer of an 8-year-old. Residents of Valley Springs—population 2,500—were told to lock their doors and watch for a man accused of stabbing Leila Fowler on Saturday afternoon, the AP reports. Police went door-to-door as they searched sheds and attics for the man. "This kind of thing does not happen here," a local mother told the Modesto Bee.

Leila's brother, age 12, reportedly crossed paths with the man—described as white or Latino and wearing a black shirt and blue pants—in his house; after the attacker ran away, the boy found his sister. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Investigators reportedly found fingerprints and DNA in the girl's home, though it'll take as long as a week to get the results. Area schools are open today, notes Fox40. (More California stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X