The quiet town of Moreno Valley, California, was shaken to its core in November 2017, when a seemingly mundane incident involving truancy and a concealed firearm spiraled into a chilling tale of revenge, culminating in the disappearance and presumed murder of 16-year-old Aronda Bionas.
Our story begins on a seemingly ordinary morning when Aronda chose to spend her time with friends at a local park instead of attending school. However, their truancy was short-lived when a school resource officer approached the group. Panicked and fearing apprehension, one of the teens, Owen Skyler Schover, allegedly tossed his handgun to Aronda, urging her to hide it.
Overwhelmed with fear, Aronda threw the weapon into a nearby drainage canal, an act witnessed by the officer. This event set off a chain reaction, leading to both Aronda and Schover’s expulsion and their subsequent enrollment in continuation schools.
Seething with anger and blaming Aronda for his expulsion, Schover, who had moved in with his father, plotted a chilling revenge. Evidence presented during the trial revealed Schover’s attempts to purchase a firearm between November 2018 and January 2019. Chillingly, his efforts bore fruit on January 12, 2019, when he successfully obtained a gun.
A young woman with brown hair smiles in a selfie.
On January 13, 2019, Schover contacted Aronda, luring her into his car under the pretense of participating in a series of drug deals and robberies. Two witnesses placed Aronda in Schover’s vehicle, corroborated by social media posts featuring images of Aronda inside the car. Tragically, this was the last time Aronda was seen alive.
Law enforcement officials, relying on cell phone data and surveillance footage, tracked Schover’s vehicle to the Box Springs Mountain area, where it remained for approximately 20 minutes. Later, around 6:00 p.m., the vehicle was spotted heading towards a mobile home park in San Bernardino.
Further solidifying their suspicions, investigators uncovered a chilling message sent by Schover to his older brother, Gary, via Facebook, stating: “Be ready for tonight get shovels and lighter fluid ready before I get back.” Shortly after sending this message, Schover’s phone went silent, only to become active again once he returned to his father’s residence.
A mountain range covered in green vegetation sits under a blue sky.
A search of Schover’s vehicle revealed what appeared to be a substantial amount of blood concealed beneath the carpeting in the trunk. Luminol testing, a chemical process used to detect even the smallest traces of blood, confirmed the presence of blood, further intensifying suspicions surrounding Schover’s involvement in Aronda’s disappearance.
Adding weight to the mounting evidence, investigators discovered traces of Aronda’s DNA inside Schover’s car, solidifying their belief that she had been present in the vehicle.
The weight of the evidence against Owen Skyler Schover proved overwhelming. After a trial that captivated the nation, the jury deliberated for a little over a day before finding him guilty of first-degree murder. The jury also found a special circumstance allegation of lying in wait, an aggravating factor that resulted in Schover receiving a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
In a surprising turn of events, Schover’s older brother, Gary, who initially faced more serious charges, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of accessory after the fact. He was sentenced to twelve months of felony probation.
Despite the conviction and extensive searches conducted throughout the vast and rugged terrain of the San Bernardino Mountains, Aronda’s remains have never been located.
Aronda’s family continues to grapple with the agonizing uncertainty surrounding her final resting place. Her uncle, Matthew Hotti, remembers Aronda for her infectious smile, her artistic talent, and her bright future.
The disappearance and presumed murder of Aronda Bionas serve as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of unchecked anger and the insidious nature of violence. While justice has been served, the lack of closure surrounding Aronda’s final resting place continues to haunt her loved ones, leaving them trapped in a heartbreaking limbo of unanswered questions and unfulfilled goodbyes.
