Do you know who murdered Deverrie Schiller in 2016?
Deverrie Schiller, a 23-year-old resident of California City, was tragically killed on June 26, 2016. Her body was found in California City’s Central Park, and her death was ruled a homicide by strangulation. Despite significant efforts, including widespread local campaigns by her family, the case remains unsolved. Schiller’s mother, Debi Fones, has been vocal in her criticism of the lack of progress in the investigation, particularly noting a lack of prioritization of violent crime by local law enforcement.
Schiller was found in a secluded part of Central Park, and investigators have yet to publicly identify any suspects. In a deeply troubling turn, photographs of her body were posted on social media shortly after the discovery, compounding the trauma for her grieving family. In 2018, inspired by the film "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri," Debi Fones put up billboards in California City to draw more attention to her daughter's case, but no breakthroughs have been reported since.
The lack of resources and apparent disinterest from authorities has made Schiller’s case a symbol of broader systemic issues in homicide investigations in California City, which has struggled with understaffing and a focus on drug-related offenses at the expense of solving violent crimes. Schiller’s mother continues to seek justice and encourages anyone with information to contact local authorities.
