Mom's boyfriend, a convicted child abuser, charged in death of girl stuffed in duffel bag

LOS ANGELES (FOX 11) - A convicted child abuser, who is the boyfriend of the victim's mother, has been charged in the death of a girl whose body was discovered stuffed inside a duffle bag near a hiking trail in Hacienda Heights.

Emiel Lamar Hunt, 38, was charged with one count of murder on Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. He is scheduled to be arraigned later today in Pomona. Authorities said Tuesday that information regarding a second person of interest is being withheld pending further investigation and that the homicide investigation is ongoing.

Hunt is reportedly the boyfriend of Trinity's mother, Taquesta Graham, who is currently in jail on an unrelated warrant. Hunt was reportedly convicted on a child abuse charge in 2005 in San Diego, according to court records.

During the course of the investigation, homicide detectives identified Hunt as a person of interest after reviewing evidence, conducting interviews and following up on hundreds of tips received from the community, authorities said. Details of their findings were not immediately known.

Hunt was arrested during the early morning hours on Saturday, March 9. Investigators located him sleeping in his vehicle, which was parked in a lot near San Diego International Airport. He was arrested without incident and booked at Norwalk Sheriff's Station.

On Monday, investigators submitted their case for review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office - Pomona Court. Hunt was charged on Tuesday with one count of murder. He is currently being held in lieu of a $2 million bond. Trinity's body was located around 10 a.m. on March 5 "partially inside of a black roll-away type duffel bag," with her head and upper body protruding from the partially zipped bag left at the bottom of an embankment close to Colima Road and the 3400 block of Hacienda Boulevard, near the His Lai Buddhist Temple, Lt. Scott Hoglund said during a press conference last week.

The coroner's office has determined that her death was a homicide, but has not publically released the cause of death.

Investigators said they anticipate releasing additional case information as more facts are established and verified.

Anyone with information on the case was urged to call the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500, or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS.