LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to double a reward — to $20,000 — for information that helps locate a Littlerock mother who went missing more than a year ago and is presumed dead.
Supervisor Don Knabe recommended upping the reward, which had been set to expire Aug. 28.
Monique Figueroa, the 28-year-old mother of a 2-year-old daughter, was last seen driving away from her home in the 7200 block of East Avenue U-12 around 4 a.m. on May 19, 2015, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
Her car, a 2004 Mercedes-Benz, was recovered 12 days later in an abandoned shed in Juniper Hills. There was no sign of Monique, but there were signs of foul play inside the car, according to Deputy Lillian Peck.
Monique had left her 2-year-old daughter in the care of her family, who reported her missing several days after she left home.
Jeff Figueroa told ABC7 the day after his daughter’s car was found that her boyfriend had been recently arrested in a murder case and she was known to hang out with gang members. He said he believed some of those acquaintances feared she would become a witness against them.
Her father begged her captors to free her and told the station that he received a text from his daughter the day after she vanished, saying, “Had to leave; love you; be back soon.”
Investigators questioned people Monique had contact with and checked her cell phone and bank records for clues. But Knabe said there was no trail of cell phone or credit card use following her disappearance.
Homicide investigators received a tip earlier this year that Monique’s remains might be buried off the 11000 block of Pearblossom Highway in Palmdale. But a search by detectives, cadaver scent dogs and coroner’s personnel did not yield results, authorities said.
Knabe asked anyone with more information to call sheriff’s Detective Karen Shonka at 323-890-5621, or Detective Wayne Holston at 323-574-2437.
Previous related stories:
Littlerock woman missing since 2015, detectives seeking public’s assistance
$10K reward offered for info on missing Littlerock mother
Vigil planned for missing Littlerock woman
Family of missing woman reaches out to community to fund private investigation
Family holds vigil for missing Littlerock woman after vehicle found abandoned
Local man missing from Hermosa Beach
Foul play suspected in woman’s disappearance, public’s help sought
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stacy says
Shane,he wasnt really a boyfriend,she had known him for about 6 weeks,and her dad was concerned about him…she made a few bad choices…but none were worth her life….this is a homicide investigation and the family is already going through a lot and hopefully they dont see comments from you or others that share your same opinion…sometimes there are those who lack sympathy and compassion…you are one….
helper says
Hello whatever has happened to the other 3 involved in the murders in which she is suppose to know about? Has anybody taken in to consideration that her boyfriend has been incarcerated since February and she came missing in May….. Y r they not looking at perhaps gang retaliation? Hope to read comments in regards to these facts….
Anonymous says
Before anyone starts with nasty comments and opinions on why she went missing… Remember her family misses her everyday and reads this. We all miss you mo.
Prayers In Littlerock says
Don’t sit in judgement of another person, especially one who is presumed to be deceased. At one point or another every human has made a mistake, regardless of who Monique was associated with it doesn’t give anyone the right to take her life leaving her daughter without a mommy, her parents without their daughter, her brother without his sister, and numerous other family members and friends to live out their lives without her…Please if anyone has any information contact the detectives, give Monique’s loves ones some closure.
Shane Falco says
Her boyfriend was arrested in a murder case…and she was known to hang out with gang members….and something bad has happened to her?
Socking.
It’s another cautionary tale. Parents, raise your kids right so they make better choices as adults.
a compassionate person says
Fyi dick she wasbrought up right. In a loving home with morals. But everyone makes poor decisions from time to time. Are you perfect shane? I think not. Have you raised kids ? What was your upbringing like? I was taught if you dont have anything nice to say dont say nothing at all. Maybe you need a lesson in minding your own and keeping your snide arrogant sarcastic opinions to your self!how insensitive really like her family isnt going to read this.
Jake Sanders says
For one, shane Falco this isn’t no [removed] fairy tale, This is my friends family member and it is shocking that this has happened to her. Second you don’t even know them, or know how the we’re raised. Yeah maybe she was hanging out with the wrong croud, but that doesn’t mean that she was raised wrong. So think about what you write on the Internet.
Shane Falco says
At nearly 30…with a child… she’s not just making a couple bad decisions and hanging out with the wrong crowd, she is the wrong crowd. The article states that she just dropped the kid off with some family and then they didn’t hear from her for a few days, at which point THEN they called police. Apparently not hearing from her for a day or so must have been normal. It shouldn’t be too shocking what’s happened. Sad? Yes. Her bad lifestyle has put her and her family in this position.
Like I said, you make multitudes of bad choices and choose a bad lifestyle and bad things happen. As a parent of two now young adults and one in kid in high school, any parents worst nightmare is your child ends up missing or dead. I can only imagine how the family is dealing and I’m using this as another reminder to be thankful that my kids have stayed the course.
Prayers in Littlerock says
Shane,
Congratulations on raising your own children, I sincerely hope you raised them with compassion, understanding, and kindness toward others which is something you are obviously lacking. News articles don’t give the whole story – this story is to help make the public aware, help her loved ones get answers, it’s not so you or anyone else can pass judgement.
Tim Scott says
Shane needs no permission to pass judgement. He is the mighty Falco, raised to rule by the Falco before him and great in every way. If his kids had any compassion, understanding, or kindness he no doubt beat it out of them so they could take up the mighty Falco mantle in their turn.
Tim Scott says
Wow, looks like your condescension has been earning you some new friends Shane. Better get fantasy check in here to defend you so you can pretend that you aren’t universally despised.
TM says
So bad things only happen to people with certain lifestyles? No matter what u do , who u hang out with, or who u are , anything can happen at any time!!
Bit just a thought, are they investigating it as a murder, or is it possible that it was made to look like something that wasn’t, and maybe she ran away??
Prayers In Littlerock says
Monique’s disappearance is being treated as a homicide.
Shane Falco says
Here’s the boyfriend. https://imgur.com/ZHJm8DS
The details that I’ve found out seem to indicate that she had knowledge of the killing that her boyfriend and his gang were involved in but she pledged loyalty to this guy in hopes that nothing bad would happened to her.
Maybe I’m different, but if my daughter even thought about bringing some guy like that to our house who looked like this she knows that I would be able to…persuade him…to never contact my daughter again. Then again, nobody in my daughters circles in high school or college looked anything like this guy. If she saw somebody like that she would go the other way.
As a parent, you can’t protect your children from everything and make sure that nothing bad ever happens to them, but the old saying “lay down with dogs, and wake up with fleas” has been around for thousands of years. Perhaps it was started by an “arrogant” parent as well.
Tim Scott says
The mighty Falco rules his roost. Man I feel sorry for your kids.
truthteller says
You don’t know anything about this case, Monique, or her family. Keep your trashy mouth shut!
Laughing says
Often this is very correct Shane.
Sometimes though the tatted up dude is an upstanding member of society that happens to like art. Hard to tell in some cases if friend or foe.
Tim Scott says
Easy for Shane. If you don’t have a badge for him to lick you’re the enemy.
Shane Faco says
Well, sure, it’s easy to confuse the AGK gang tattoo and other prison ink on his face with those of an artitist with simple fanciful expressions.
Somebody else’s kid and family can make the choice of letting a cockroach into their house. People will always find a way to make themselves victims of prey.
integritymd says
As if you would know anything about your daughters’ sex lives, or intimate details that would indicate you have or have not done such an excellent job as a parent, or perhaps you think she wants to have someone like “Daddy” as her man, that might work for you, but I doubt she shares the same intentions or bad tastes…The real topper is your arrogance on believing this is about judging the victim, not resolving the wrong…anyone can get at your own if they so desire, so we can only deal with what we are dealt…I can understand your judgment call on your perspective, but only in a hypothetical situation or trying to prevent a foreseeable harm, not on laying down the self-righteous attitude when you have not been in the same or similar situation…With that being said, I am sure it is your parental instinct that raises your heightened need to arguing your perspective, as you know a life has been struck down by some scumbag(s)…so anger follows….
SMHX2 says
Shane, karma is a bitcX, be careful because your life (including your kid’s) could fall apart at any given moment and in a blink of an eye. I refuse to accept that you are 100% arrogant and insensitive, if so, what a waste of oxygen.
Tim Scott says
I used to doubt that too, but he has convinced me.
Never give up! says
I’m puzzled to think if the female body that was found recently where the 5 and 138 meet might be her…
wonder says
Did Mo have tattoos?
https://theavtimes.com/2016/08/18/publics-help-needed-to-identify-female-body-found-in-gorman/
j says
They don’t look alike to me at all…