Reward announced in murder of Bellflower woman shot in front of her son, mother

BELLFLOWER, Calif. (KABC) -- Authorities on Tuesday announced a $5,000 reward in the January killing of a 26-year-old Bellflower woman who was shot and killed in front of her young son and her mother.

"Please, you guys, turn him in," Kenia Buckner's mother said tearfully, addressing the suspect's family and friends at a morning news conference attended by homicide detectives and Bellflower's mayor. "This is unfair. We're just looking for justice -- please."

Debbie Buckner, whose daughter Kenia Buckner was murdered in January, pleaded for the suspect's friends and family to turn him in.

Antowan Parker Jr., 27, has been sought since he allegedly murdered Buckner, his ex-girlfriend, at her apartment in the 16200 block of Cornuta Avenue, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

"He left on foot, and we're hoping that somebody in the community has some kind of information as to where Mr. Parker is," sheriff's Lt. Steve Jauch said.

Buckner, a nursing student, was pronounced dead at the scene. Parker is the father of her three children -- a 5-year-old daughter and two 10-year-old twins.

Buckner's mother and the victim's 10-year-old son were present when the boy's father opened fire multiple times with a handgun in the Jan. 16 incident, investigators said. The weapon was not recovered.

Parker, who has remained at large for more than two months, should be considered armed and dangerous, authorities said. He is described as black, 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighing 230 pounds, with brown eyes, black braided hair and a tattoo on the front of his neck.

Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call the sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.