Los Angeles man facing murder charges after Scottish wife’s body was found inside their apartment
By Chelsea Hylton
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LOS ANGELES, California (KCAL, KCBS) — A man has been charged with murder after his wife’s body was found inside their Los Feliz apartment.
Jonathan Renteria, 25, is in custody on $4 million bail after being charged with murder by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office first made contact with Renteria on Sept. 11 after deputies received calls of an attempted suicide. Renteria was transported to a hospital where he was treated for his injuries.
During their investigation, deputies found a handwritten note from Renteria that said he had allegedly killed his wife.
Deputies passed the information to the Los Angeles Police Department, which conducted a welfare check at the couple’s apartment in Los Feliz. According to the LAPD, officers found the wife’s body inside the apartment, dismembered and decomposed.
The wife’s identity has not been confirmed by authorities. Friends identified her as June Bunyan, 37, who immigrated from Scotland.
“I didn’t do enough,” friend and neighbor Arielle Miller said. “I didn’t fight hard enough for her to get the help that she needed.”
Miller said Bunyan moved into the apartment complex about 1.5 years ago. Bunyan immigrated to the U.S. to begin her law career and aimed to defend the most vulnerable in court, according to Miller.
“June was really friendly and really outgoing,” Miller said.
Friends said Bunyan and Renteria met on social media. Bunyan recently gave birth to a baby girl.
Miller accused Renteria of abusing Bunyan and constantly bashing her about her weight.
“June was loved by so many people, and she didn’t deserve the way that she was disrespected, and she deserves dignity in death,” Miller said.
The West Bureau Homicide is continuing to investigate the incident. Authorities believe this was an isolated incident and there is no longer a threat to the community.
Bunyan’s family is raising money to bring her remains back to Scotland.
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