The body of Michelle Lozano, 17, was found nude in a plastic storage container along the 5 Freeway near Boyle Heights on April 25, 2011. Lozano had been abducted from the Lincoln Heights area.
About nine months later, Bree'ana Guzman, 22, was also abducted from Lincoln Heights, and then her partially-nude body was found on Jan. 26, 2012, near the 2 Freeway in the Silver Lake area in 2012. She was the mother of two young girls.
Two $50,000 rewards were announced last week in hopes of making an arrest. Police always suspected the cases were connected but couldn't prove it until now.
"We were able to obtain forensic evidence that linked the two cases," said LAPD Capt. William Hayes.
With no witnesses, there is no suspect or vehicle description. Hayes said the victims did not know one another.
Anyone with information on the crimes was urged to call detectives Frank Carrillo or Jay King, (213) 486-6890, or (877) LAPD-247.
