LOS ANGELES — Homicide detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are actively investigating the death of 29-year-old Kimberly Fuentes after her body was discovered early Wednesday morning on a public street in the unincorporated area near East Los Angeles.
Authorities have not released the exact location or the preliminary cause of death, stating only that the case is being treated as “suspicious” pending autopsy results and further evidence collection. The LASD issued a brief statement Thursday afternoon confirming Fuentes’ identity and asking anyone with information to contact the department’s Homicide Bureau.
SUPPORT THE FAMILY - GOD BLESS YOU
“Kimberly Fuentes was a vibrant 29-year-old woman taken far too soon,” the statement read. “Detectives are working around the clock to determine exactly what happened and to bring answers to her grieving family.”
Friends and family described Fuentes as the kind of person who could light up any room she walked into. The eldest of three siblings, she was known for her infectious laugh, her fierce loyalty, and her habit of checking in on everyone she cared about, often with a simple “You good, mija?” text that instantly made the day better.
“Kimberly was everybody’s big sister, even if she wasn’t related to you,” said longtime friend Marisol Vargas. “She’d drop everything if you needed her, no questions asked. This doesn’t feel real.”
Raised in East L.A., Fuentes worked in customer service and had recently started taking night classes with dreams of opening her own small business one day. On social media, hundreds of posts under the hashtag #JusticeForKimberly have flooded timelines with photos of her smiling at barbecues, hugging friends at Dodger games, and dancing at family parties.
Her family released a short statement through a spokesperson late Thursday:
“We are devastated by the sudden and tragic loss of our Kimberly. She was our light, our heartbeat. We ask for privacy as we grieve, but we also ask anyone who knows anything, anything at all, to please come forward. Help us get justice for our girl.”
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is urging anyone with information to call the Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477). Tipsters may remain anonymous.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.