Authorities in Northern California continued Monday to search for a man they said killed an 8-year-old girl at a house in a small town in Calaveras County near Sacramento.
Valley Springs residents were being warned to lock their doors and report suspicious activity after a door-to-door manhunt did not yield a breakthrough, The Associated Press reported.
On Saturday, police said a 12-year-old boy found an intruder in his home, and when he went to check on his sister, Leila Fowler, he found she had been stabbed. The third-grader was pronounced dead at the hospital. An autopsy is planned for Monday. The intruder got away.
At a Sunday news conference, investigators took fingerprints and what they believe to be DNA evidence from the Rippon Road crime scene, according to NBC affiliate KCRA.
Several law enforcement agencies are searching the area for a 6-foot-tall man with gray hair, a muscular build, and last seen wearing a black long-sleeved shirt and blue pants. Police said the man is considered armed and dangerous.
Parents at Leila's school are asking for extra patrols at the bus stops, to keep children safe.
A candlelight vigil is scheduled for Tuesday, with the location and time pending.
People who know the family told KCRA 3 that Leila was one of seven children, and that her parents were very involved with the community and Little League.
The Calaveras County sheriff and the District Attorney's Office are investigating.
Valley Springs is a town of about 3,500 some 60 miles southeast of Sacramento.
Photo Credit: KCRA