The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is offering a $10,000 reward for any information that could help in the investigation of the abduction and murder of Ashanti Billie, a Virginia teenager who was found dead behind a church in Charlotte, North Carolina last week.
The announcement comes as the 19-year-old was laid to rest Friday at the Ebenezer AME Church in Fort Washington, Maryland, WSOCTV reports
Billie’s body was found in late September on the lawn of a church — hundreds of miles from her Norfolk, Va. home.
The teen vanished on Sept. 18 after heading to work at a sandwich shop on Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Norfolk. Her car was captured on surveillance video coming and going from the base, but details surrounding her murder are still unknown.
“Our community should know that our work does not end here,” FBI Agent Martin Culbreth said in a statement. “Now our mission is to bring justice for Ashanti, and we will be relentless in our efforts to find who did this to her. We will not rest until the person who robbed Ashanti of her life, her promise and her future is held fully accountable under the law.”
He body was found by a landscaping crew.
“Our desires, our prayers were answered,” Meltony Billie, Ashanti’s father, said. “She’s home with God and we’re okay with that.”
Originally from Prince Georges County in Maryland, the recent high school graduate moved to Virginia to pursue a culinary career.
“To the person or persons that decided they wanted to take her away from us and away from everyone that loved her, you’re a coward,” said Brandi Billie, Ashanti’s mother. “You don’t deserve to breathe the air that she breathe at all.”
Our thoughts are with her family and friends during this time.
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