Missing California teen, Andrea Vazquez, found dead in a park after she and her boyfriend were ‘randomly targeted’ in an attack

A 19-year-old California teenager has been found dead and a suspect has been arrested in connection with the shooting and kidnapping of the young woman.

Andrea Vazquez’s body was found around 11:50 a.m. Tuesday in a patch of vegetation along Alessandro Boulevard and Merwin Street in Moreno Valley, Whittier police said.

The suspect, identified as Gabriel Esparza, 20, also from Whittier, was arrested without incident at his workplace in the town of Lakewood. He was arrested on murder and kidnapping charges and is being held without bail.

Police said a weapon believed to have been used in the crime was recovered, as well as Esparza’s vehicle, a white 2013 Toyota Tocoma truck.

At this point, it appears that Vazquez and her boyfriend were “randomly targeted” by the suspect in Penn Park.

The parking lot at Penn Park at 13950 Penn Street in Whittier and the last Vazquez location was seen Sunday night

The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County Attorney’s Office on Wednesday for possible charges. Other information about the case was not immediately available.

The missing woman’s boyfriend told police about the events leading up to his girlfriend’s disappearance, while devastated friends and family prayed for her safe return.

The sister of the victims, said Edlyn Vazquez KTLA News that she tried to remain hopeful, but said she had “never experienced such heartbreak.”

“I’m just trying to stay strong for her because now she’s coming back,” she said.

The missing woman’s panicked sister said she traced her sister’s phone to a field just off Highway 10 in Moreno Valley early Sunday morning.

At the location, she said more blood was found, but there was no sign of her phone or her sister.

Edlyn had a message to share with her sister, which she told KTLA that she “wouldn’t stop looking for her.”

“Just stay strong and we’ll be here and watching,” Edlyn said in part.

She also sent a plea to her captors: “If you have her, please just take her home.” I don’t want to know anything. I have no questions for the person, nothing. I just want her home.’

The victim’s distraught sister, Edlyn Vazquez, tried to remain hopeful as she searched for her lover

It is unclear what type of vehicle Vazquez and her boyfriend were in when an armed suspect pulled up to their car and fired shots in their direction.

The flyer Whittier police posted on Facebook asking the public for information about the mysterious disappearance of Andrea Vazquez, 19

Whittier police posted a photo of Vasquez with the caption, “Critical Missing Person/Kidnap.”

Vasquez, a resident of Los Angeles, is described as a Hispanic woman, who stands 6 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 103 pounds, with brown-red hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen wearing a black long sleeve crop top, khaki pants and black Converse low tops.

The teen has a tattoo with her sister’s name, ‘Edlyn’, on the back of the neck. She also has an Aries zodiac sign on the top of her right hand and a belly button piercing.

“Detectives are actively working on the investigation and following all leads,” the message said.

We are asking anyone who was at Penn Park between 11:00 PM on 8/19/23 to 1:00 AM on 8/20/23, or anyone with information regarding this incident, to contact our duty watch commander at 562-567-9255 .’

Authorities offered additional numbers for people to pass information to, including Detective Jose Bolanos at 562-328-8504 or Detective Tom Nordbak at 562-244-0054 or their crime tip line at 562-567-9299.

The police department did not respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.