Skin found in search for Calif. teen’s body belongs to pig; digging at landfill enters Day 3

Search for CA teen in Day 3 after pig skin found

FONTANA, Calif. — A large piece of skin found in a landfill during a search for a pregnant girl’s body turned out to be part of a pig, leading authorities Wednesday to resume excavating tons of trash in an effort to find the 17-year-old’s remains.

Police, dogs and a sheriff’s search-and-rescue team have been excavating a 50-by-25-yard area of a Rialto landfill since Monday for Anyssia Escamilla, whose boyfriend is charged with killing her and dumping her in the garbage.

The team of about 50 diggers spotted the skin Tuesday, but the coroner’s office determined it did not belong to the Bloomington High School student, Fontana police said.

“It looks like someone just skinned a pig and put it in the trash,” Sgt. Billy Green said.

He said the crew is cautiously optimistic Escamilla’s body will be found, noting that the effort would shift Thursday to a dump in Corona if needed.

Escamilla, who was three months pregnant, never returned home from school on May 11.

Her boyfriend, 18-year-old Jesus Avitia Jr., of Fontana, told police he killed the Bloomington teen and placed her body in a trash can near his home, Green said.

Avitia, who remained jailed Wednesday on $2 million bail, has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering Escamilla and her fetus. He could face 40 years to life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors have not decided whether they will seek the death penalty.

Detectives don’t know how Escamilla was killed because Avitia gave conflicting statements, Green said.

Investigators also were trying to determine a motive, though Avitia indicated he was unhappy that his girlfriend was carrying his child, Green said.

Escamilla’s family said Avitia’s family didn’t approve of him seeing a girl who already had a 3-year-old son from another relationship. Her parents said the two had been dating for about a year.