Body found in duffel bag near LA hiking trail belonged to 9-year-old girl

She was found wearing a long-sleeved pink shirt with 'future princess hero; written on it and grey pants decorated with pandas

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the coroner identified the body as nine-year-old Trinity Love Jones. (GoFundMe)

The body of a young girl discovered in a duffel bag near a hiking trail in the Los Angeles County area last week has been identified.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the coroner identified the body as nine-year-old Trinity Love Jones of the LA County area. The coroner has also ruled her death as a homicide and the sheriff’s department said it is withholding announcing the exact cause of her death.

Two people are held for questioning about her death and are treated as persons of interest.

Her body was discovered in a duffel bag on March 5 by maintenance workers near a hiking and equestrian trail in Hacienda Heights, California.

Her father, Antonio Jones, said his daughter was “just the best — full of character, full of love, full of joy.”

The young girl’s case gained national attention after police detectives released a composite sketch of her based on the clothes she was discovered in—a long-sleeved pink shirt with “future princess hero” written on it and gray pants decorated with pandas on them.

“The overwhelming response from the news media and tips received from the public” helped the authorities to identify Jones, the authorities said.

Since the news of her death, community members have laid down flowers, candles, princess balloons and stuffed animals at a memorial near where the nine-year-old girl’s body was found. Her family members visited the site on Sunday.

“We just want answers,” Mr Jones said. “We want justice.”