Husband charged after Scottish woman murdered, dismembered in Los Angeles
Scottish woman murdered in Los Angeles; husband arrested
Prosecutors say the husband said he argued with the victim about her “failure to lose weight
HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — A woman from Scotland was murdered in Los Angeles earlier this month after moving to the U.S. to become a lawyer. Now, her husband is in custody as the prime suspect.
According to a GoFundMe page set up by loved ones, 37-year-old June Bunyan moved to the U.S. from the U.K. to pursue her dream of becoming a defense attorney. They are now asking for help to repatriate her remains.
“Friendly, funny and really kind” are a few of the words one neighbor used to describe Bunyan, whose remains were found in her Hollywood apartment.
Authorities charged 25-year-old Jonathan Renteria with murder and mutilation of human remains.
Court records identify the victim as June Renteria and state she and the defendant were married for one year and shared a 1-month-old baby.
The documents allege Renteria was found in a Ventura County hotel room bleeding, with a wound to his forearm, and with a note admitting to killing his wife.
Prosecutors say that in a recorded interview, Renteria said he had an argument with the victim about her “failure to lose weight following her pregnancy,” and that she began packing and told him she would never let him see his daughter again. It goes on to say that he “admits to putting the victim in a rear-naked chokehold…” and killing her.
The documents were filed to urge the court to set Renteria’s bail to $4 million, which the court granted.
According to the filing, the victim was last seen alive on Sept. 4, and Renteria was seen the following day, leaving with the baby in the middle of the night, and then hours later holding garbage bags. Prosecutors say he dropped off the child at his parents’ home and accuse him of dismembering his wife’s body.
A neighbor who spoke with Eyewitness News says Bunyan had confided in her, describing an abusive relationship. The neighbor says she warned Bunyan that she feared he would kill her.
Arielle Miller lived in the same apartment building as Bunyan, and the two became close. Miller described Bunyan as a bright light and the most popular person in the complex, but she worried about Bunyan’s relationship with Renteria.
“He didn’t want her to talk to certain people. He was verbally abusive,” Miller said. “Something in particular he would always comment on was her body and her weight.”
“The way that she died, the suffering she must’ve experienced, the fear, the violence, the pain – all of that – it’s the stuff that keeps me up at night,” Miller added.
According to a website believed to be the victim’s paralegal business, she was a foreign-educated attorney who aimed to help lawyers protect non-citizen clients in cases at the intersection of criminal and immigration law. The GoFundMe page describes her as compassionate, and states that “her proudest achievement was earning her law degree.”
Bunyan’s loved ones say they are raising money so that she can “be laid to rest with the dignity and love she deserves, surrounded by family and friends.” In the meantime, Renteria is due back in court for a preliminary hearing in November, and it appears he has pleaded not guilty.
Data show domestic violence is on the rise across the country, especially crimes against women.
One resource available is the National Domestic Violence Hotline. If you or someone you know needs help, you can call 800-799-SAFE, chat at thehotline.org. or text the word “START” to 88788.
