Shelby woman arrested for allegedly dumping newborn’s body in 1987

WWAY News,
1987 Case

SHELBY, N.C. (ABC 7) — A woman from Shelby was arrested on Wednesday after allegedly throwing her newborn into a California dumpster nearly four decades ago, according to ABC 7.

The Riverside Police Department booked Melissa Jean Allen Avila, 55, on Aug. 5 after North Carolina law enforcement extradited her from Shelby. Avila was booked on a charge of first-degree murder.

She was given a $1.1 million bail and is still in custody.

Detectives discovered the baby girl’s body on Oct. 13, 1987. A man searching for recyclables found the remains inside a dumpster behind a business. The death was ruled a homicide. The case was opened back up in 2020 and detectives turned to DNA samples recovered at the scene to reignite the investigation, ABC 7 says.
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