By 2UrbanGirls
Contributing Writer
INGLEWOOD — The Inglewood Police Department announced an increase in a reward for information leading to the arrest of suspects in the death of Daina Monroe during a press conference at City Hall May 18.
“We plead with anyone who may have any information related to this senseless and unprovoked crime against our Daina to do the right thing and come forward,” said Monroe’s aunt, Lisa Neal.
The reward increased to $45,000, with $25,000 coming from Inglewood and $20,000 from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
Daina’s father, Darrin Monroe, continues to fight for justice for his daughter who was a star volleyball player who was recruited by 32 colleges and had started her first day of work the day when she was killed last Oct. 18. She was 18.
“I never in a million years would have thought I would be doing what I’m doing now, not in a million years,” he said. “And it could happen to anyone.”
Police said that Monroe, along with her sister and two friends, were sitting in a car outside her mother’s home, near Inglewood Avenue and Queen Street, discussing what movie to watch just before midnight. That’s when investigators said a car pulled up and shot into their vehicle.
The Monroe family has lost two additional family members to gun violence in the last seven months.
In April, her cousin’s fiancé was shot and killed in Inglewood. A week later, Daina’s grandfather was murdered by a thief who was after his Rolex watch.
“My dad was only 76 years old, just trying to pick up his [clothes from the] cleaners,” said Maisha Layne, one of Daina’s aunts. “He never made it into the cleaners. This gun violence just really needs to stop, it really needs to stop.”
Inglewood Police Chief Mark Fronterotta called Monroe’s murder a “horrific” and “senseless” crime.
The chief said the department has limited information and asked the public to come forward with any details they may have about the killing.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Inglewood Police Department Homicide Detectives M. Han or J. Jurado at (310) 412-5246 or the 24-hour anonymous tip line at (888) 412-7463.
2 Urban Girls is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers the Compton and Inglewood areas. She can be reached at 2urbangirls@gmail.com.
