Nearly 30 Years Later, a New Push to Solve Amberly Mendoza's Murder

Key Takeaways

• FBI Phoenix and Yuma Police are offering up to $30,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the 1996 murder of 10-year-old Amberly Mendoza.
• Investigators say Mendoza was sexually assaulted and asphyxiated in her Yuma home. The screen on a first-floor bedroom window had been removed.
• The case remains unsolved nearly 30 years later, but authorities say it is still being actively reviewed.
• Amberly's Place, a Yuma child advocacy center named in her honor, is supporting the renewed call for answers.

A Cold Case That Won't Fade

More than 29 years after 10-year-old Amberly Mendoza was found dead in her bedroom in Yuma, Arizona, the FBI Phoenix Field Office is renewing its plea for public help. Investigators are now offering a reward of up to $30,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible.

On March 9, 1996, Yuma Police responded to a home near 24th Lane and 17th Avenue. They found Amberly unresponsive in her bedroom. Investigators determined someone entered the home, sexually assaulted the child, and killed her. The cause of death was asphyxiation.

There were no signs of forced entry, but the screen on her first-floor bedroom window had been removed. That detail remains a key part of the investigation.

Police Say the Case Is Never Forgotten

Yuma Police Sergeant Lori Franklin said the department has never stopped looking at the case. “Over the years, this case has never been forgotten,” Franklin said. “It's constantly relooked at. Fresh set of eyes. Anything we can do to help try to solve this. Get justice for Amberly, get justice for her family. And hopefully the person can get caught and they'll have their day in court.”

The renewed reward is part of a broader effort to generate new leads. The FBI Phoenix Field Office is handling the reward alongside the Yuma Police Department.

Amberly's Legacy Lives On

Amberly's death inspired the creation of Amberly's Place, a Yuma child advocacy center that supports children and families affected by abuse and trauma. Tori Bourguignon, the center's executive director, said the case still motivates the organization's work. “Amberly's case reminds us every single day as to why we do the work that we do,” Bourguignon said. “Every day we hold on to hope that maybe today is the day. Maybe today is the day that we have answers.”

Local Context and Regional Reach

Although this crime happened in Yuma, Arizona, not California, the case has drawn attention across the Southwest. Yuma sits near the California-Arizona border, and the FBI Phoenix office encourages tips from any state. Authorities are asking anyone with information to come forward, no matter where they live.

Background: What We Know

Amberly was 10 years old when she was killed in March 1996. The lack of forced entry led investigators to look closely at people known to the family, but no arrest has ever been made. The case has been reviewed multiple times over the decades, with detectives applying fresh perspectives and new forensic methods.

How to Help

Anyone with information can contact the Yuma Police Department at 928-783-4421. Anonymous tips can be submitted through 78-CRIME at 928-782-7463. The FBI Phoenix Field Office is also available at 623-466-1999, and anonymous tips can be filed online through the FBI's website.

Sources and Materials

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