Less than a week after a Lithonia teenager was found shot to death inside a popular Gwinnett County park, investigators say they found the victim’s vehicle.
Tori Lang’s burned-out Nissan Versa was recently discovered at DeKalb County’s Hidden Acres Nature Preserve, less than five miles from where she was killed, Channel 2 Action News reported.
A park ranger found Lang’s compact sedan, which authorities said had been set on fire and then rolled or pushed into the woods. Investigators are processing the vehicle for evidence, hopeful it could shed some light on the murder investigation, according to the news station.
Lang, a 2020 Stephenson High School graduate, was found dead July 28 near a picnic area at Yellow River Park near Stone Mountain, Gwinnett police said last week. Officers responded to an “unknown medical call” after parkgoers discovered the 18-year-old’s body during their early morning walk and called 911. The teen had been shot to death, according to police.
Investigators haven’t identified any suspects or released a possible motive in the case.
Lang, who was known to her loved ones as “Kiwi,” planned to study architectural engineering in college, her family told Channel 2. They described her as “a very caring spirit,” who would often put the needs of others first.
Credit: GoFundMe
Credit: GoFundMe
“One of the things that I would always try to explain to her is you can’t save everybody,” her aunt, Tamara Lang, told the news station. “She was always trying to help her friends. I honestly believe in my heart someone took advantage of my baby.”
As they prepare for her funeral, Lang’s family is struggling to come to terms with her death.
“It’s like Stone Mountain fell on me — like a ton of bricks,” her father, Torrey Lang, told Channel 2. “It was clear in evidence that this was planned and somebody did this.”
Credit: Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Credit: Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lang’s family reported her missing Wednesday, the day her body was discovered, according to a DeKalb County police report. They learned the teen had been killed after Gwinnett police posted photos of her tattoos on social media in an attempt to identify her.
Torrey Lang believes whoever killed his daughter most likely ditched her car in an effort to cover their tracks.
Lang’s dad said they often visited the sprawling 691-acre park as a family, but said he isn’t sure why she was there last week or who she was with. Lang’s family is asking anyone with information about the case to come forward, saying “somebody knows something.”
“It’s just hard every day thinking of this moment,” Tamara Lang said. “What would you do if this was your child? If you know something, if you saw something, we just implore somebody to say something.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Gwinnett police at 770-513-5700. Tipsters can remain anonymous, and be eligible for a cash reward, by contacting Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, texting information to 274637 or visiting the Crime Stoppers website.
— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.
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