Thousands of miles away, family and friends are mourning the loss of a woman described as being “driven by courage and determination” after she was tragically killed while pursuing her dreams in Los Angeles.
June Bunyan, 37, an aspiring lawyer and U.K. national, was found dead on Sept. 11 inside a residence in Hollywood, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department tipped the LAPD about the possible death investigation after it responded to an attempted suicide call in Newbury Park. There, Ventura County investigators discovered a male with wrist injuries at a motel and a note that stated he had killed his wife, according to the LAPD.
LAPD officers responded to a call of a smell of decomposing flesh and once inside “observed limbs in a plastic bag,” in the apartment complex on Franklin Avenue. LAPD told NBC4 Investigates it believes she was murdered on Sept. 4, days before she was discovered.
Jonathan Renteria, 25, was arrested and booked into county jail on suspicion of murder, according to a complaint filed with the Los Angeles County DA’s Office.
Bunyan’s family back home said she held multiple degrees and moved to the United States with dreams of taking the bar exam and becoming a defence attorney.
“June was known for her vibrant personality, infectious laugh, and deeply compassionate heart,” wrote Vicky Tulika, Bunyan’s best friend and organizer of her crowdfunding page.
The family hopes to raise money to bring her remains back to Scotland.