Funeral for girl allegedly murdered by Thai immigrant sex offender

KIROTV:

Thousands of people gathered at the Slavic Christian Center in Tacoma Sunday to remember and honor 12-year-old Zina Linnik, who was found dead Thursday after being kidnapped on the Fourth of July.

Tacoma Police Chief Don Ramsdell spoke of Zina’s disappearance.

“Many, many people participated in trying to find Zina,” Ramsdell said.

“Sometimes these stars become very heavy, and I can’t think of another time when they felt the heaviest,” Ramsdell said of the stars on his uniform.

Zina’s former teacher Katie Thaut described Zina as her “favorite student.”

Mikhail Linnik, Zina’a father, told the crowd his daughter was quiet and obedient and that she had taken to spending more time with her family before her death.

“It was like the sign of her seeing us for the last time,” Linnik said.

Zina disappeared July 4 after being sent down an alley behind her home to bring back some of her siblings.

Her father heard her scream, found a single flip flop on the ground and saw a boxy gray van driving away. His description led investigators to Terapon Adhahn, who was arrested this week on an immigration complaint.

Adhahn, 42, is being held as a suspect in the case, and police are reviewing whether he may have been involved in the disappearance of other girls.

Adhahn is a Thai immigrant who was convicted of incest in 1990.

Authorities said an autopsy determined Zina died from homicidal violence.

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