Missing LV girl found dead in California

Keith Paul

Wednesday, April 25, 2001 | 11:07 a.m.

A 16-year-old Las Vegas girl last seen walking to school earlier this month was found shot to death in a horse trailer in California over the weekend, and two suspects could be charged as early as today, authorities said.

Michelle Curran, a 10th grader at Western High School, was found dead Sunday from a gunshot wound in the head in Rubidoux, a rural area of Riverside County. Curran was last seen April 4 going to school.

The case has presented a mystery from its inception.

Riverside County Sheriff's deputies were first called to the property by the homeowner on April 17, when she saw two people running from her property, Sgt. Mark Lohman, a Riverside County Sheriff's Office spokesman, said.

Deputies arrested Michael Thornton, 45, and Janeen Snyder, 21, both of Rialto, Calif., that night on burglary charges. Investigators found blood in a room where horses are saddled, but couldn't locate a body.

"There was a large amount of blood showing a more serious crime occurred, but we didn't have a victim," Lohman said.

Police found Curran's identification among the pair's belongings. A computer check showed Curran listed as a runaway from Las Vegas.

Because of their evasiveness about what they were doing on the property, the large amount of blood and Curran's identification, the pair were held on $1 million bond.

Then on Sunday the homeowner found the body of the Las Vegas girl in the horse trailer, Lohman said.

California investigators will meet with prosecutors today to discuss charging Thornton and Snyder in connection with Curran's slaying, Lohman said.

Thornton apparently had been previously charged in connection with assaulting a runaway in San Bernardino County, authorities said. No details were available.

Candy Curran, Michelle Curran's mother, said her daughter was on her way to school April 4 and never returned. Curran says her daughter wasn't a runaway, but most likely was snatched off the street.

But Metro Police have Michelle Curran's disappearance classified as a runaway, Sgt. Dan McGrath of Metro's missing persons unit, said.

McGrath said at this point police don't have evidence of a kidnapping.

Curran was seen with the two suspects at a Riverside County park campground before her body was discovered, Lohman said.

Investigators are interviewing people who saw the three to determine if there was any reason to believe Curran was there against her will, he said.

Candy Curran said her daughter was well liked and was planning on becoming a beautician.

"She has a lot of dreams," Curran said from her Las Vegas home and then paused for a moment. "Or should I say, she had a lot of dreams," she added before her voice became strained.