Mother charged with gruesome murder of girl found stuffed in duffel bag

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A week after her extradition, a Los Angeles woman has been charged with the murder of her 9-year-old daughter, who was found partially stuffed in a duffle bag near a L.A. hiking trail earlier in March.

Taquesta Graham, 28, is accused in the death of Trinity Love Jones. The girl was discovered by maintenance workers on the trail in Hacienda Heights, Calif., about 20 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It is unclear if she was alive when placed in the bag and there was no indication she was reported missing.

READ MORE: Mother of 9-year-old found dead in a duffel bag extradited from Texas

Last week authorities charged Graham’s boyfriend, Emiel Lamar Hunt, with Trinity’s murder. He is currently being held on $2 million bail according to LA County Sheriffs.

Graham and Hunt were initially stopped at a Border Patrol checkpoint in Hudspeth County, Tex. Graham was taken into custody ion an unrelated parole violation and was questioned about her daughter. At the time Hunt was not detained, but was later found in a lot near San Diego International Airport, sleeping in his black Nissan Armada. He was arrested March 9, as a person of interest in connection to Jones’ death and subsequently charged with murder.

Officials extradited Graham to California last week where she was held without bail.

At the time of Trinity’s death, it was said she and her family were homeless. It is believed that they had been living between motels and their vehicle. Hunt, Graham and daughter Trinity moved from a family member’s home in Long Beach in 2018 and are said to have had limited contact with their family in the past year, according to the L.A. Sheriffs Department.

READ MORE: Mom’s boyfriend charged in gruesome slaying of 9-year-old Black girl found in duffel bag

Hunt reportedly spent more than a decade in prison on a torture and child abuse conviction from 2005, according to San Diego County court records, NBC Washington reported. Upon his release, his father said he pleaded with his son to attend church and straighten out his life. But Hunt refused, so the two became estranged, the report states.

“He wanted to do what he wanted to do and we have rules and regulations here. He couldn’t abide by rules and regulations so we don’t have any contact [for years],” Hunt’s father said.

Refinery 29 reports police believe Hunt killed her on or around March 1 before dumping her body that day.

“We just want answers,” said Antonio Jones, Trinity’s father. “We want justice.”

According to Los Angeles station KTLA-TV, loved ones will gather on Monday to celebrate Trinity’s life. Jones said community support has been so great that no fundraising was necessary to help with expenses.

“We sincerely appreciate all of the prayers and kind acts of love and generosity shown to our family,” Jones said. He asked guests at the memorial in Hacienda Heights to wear bright, cheerful colors, “as we are celebrating a young and vibrant life.”