Still No Arrest 1 Year After Teen's Murder; Memorial Held

ROSEMONT (CBS13) – One year later the search for answers continue into the unsolved brutal murder of a 13-year-old Rosemont girl.

Wednesday marked the one-year anniversary of Jessica Funk-Haslam's death.

"You miss her and you think about what she's missing, and it hurts," Jessica's father Allen Porter said.

Home videos help Porter cope a year after his outgoing daughter was brutally murdered.

"To take something that precious is, it's unthinkable to me," said Porter.

Funk-Haslam's body was found a year ago near a baseball dugout in Rosemont Community Park. She was beaten, choked and stabbed.

"She got in an argument and why she went over by her school or anything like that, I don't know," said Porter.

His daughter was caught on surveillance on her way to meet someone at the park near Einstein Middle School. But that's where it ends; and, a year later, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department still has not made any arrests.

"It's a very challenging case, there are some frustrations in there," said Det. Paul Belli.

Belli says they continue to follow up on leads and are working with the FBI, but still don't have the information they need to solve this murder mystery.

"As in every case, we just need a little bit of help. Information is our friend," he said.

"One of the things you really worry about is that it'll be forgotten and Jess will be forgotten, and she deserves a lot better than that," said Porter.

Detectives say that's not the case. They're begging anyone with any information to speak up and secure justice for the teenager.

"You don't want these things to happen. They're horrible and maybe with remembering her we can stop it from happening," said Porter.

Thursday night, friends and family gathered to remember Funk-Haslam at the park where she was found one year after she was murdered. They sent pink heart luminaries into the air in her remembrance.

They gathered, cried and prayed for the Rosemont teenager.

"I've never given up hope not in the beginning and not now," Funk-Haslam's mother Tara said. "Whoever it is, I hope you're definitely losing lots of sleep and you will be caught. Doesn't matter how long it takes, but you will be caught."

For now everyone is determined to keep the teen's memory alive.

"You know, justice is gonna get served. Justice will be served. It won't be forgotten," said Heather Duncan.

Authorities are offering a $10,000 reward for information about the case. Anyone with a tip is asked to call Sacramento County sheriff's detectives at (916) 874-TIPS.