Arizona Man Accused of Fatally Harm to Teen Met on Dating App
An arrest has been made in the brutal murder of Yessenia Gabriella Norman, 18, who was found dead in an apartment in Tolleson, Arizona, on January 28. The apartment was rented by Randal Basilio Santillan.
Santillan, 27, was arrested in Biloxi, Mississippi, on February 6, over 1,500 miles away from the crime scene. Reports suggest he fled to Biloxi after the murder.
Investigators revealed that Santillan allegedly met Yessenia through an online dating app, meeting in person just four days before the incident. They obtained an arrest warrant for Santillan as he left the state for Biloxi.
It remains unclear why Santillan fled to Mississippi. A GoFundMe campaign has been initiated to assist Yessenia's mother, Jessica Nuñez, with funeral expenses, raising nearly $9,000 of its $10,000 goal.
Arrest Details and Charges
Santillan has been formally charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping, awaiting extradition at the Harrison County Adult Detention Center. He was arrested without incident, and investigators from various agencies were involved in the case.
Those with relevant information are urged to contact Biloxi Police at (228) 435-6112, Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898, or Tolleson Police at (623) 936-7186.