Man arrested for allegedly killing 17-year-old girl from Merced

Memories of 17-year-old Heaven Murrilo are all over her home.

Pictures of the vibrant teen sit on the mantle, as her guitar and skateboard rest below in front of the fireplace.

Heaven, a frequent runaway according to her family, went missing in June of 2017.

Her body was found two months later by Merced Police near Hawk Drive.

But her family did not learn of her death until April of this year.

"I wake up, and I don't want to wake up, and everybody tells me I have to be strong for my kids and everybody tells me to be strong," said Heaven's mom Joanna Murillo.

Her mom grieving the loss sleeps with a teddy bear each night.

Inside of it is a glass heart filled with Heaven's ashes.

"I just feel a little closer to her," said Heaven's mom.

And now she feels a little bit of closure.

Thursday, Merced Police announced on Facebook that, Benjamin Goddard was arrested for Heaven's murder.

He was already in custody at the Merced County Jail on other charges.

Heaven's family says while this brings them one step closer to getting justice it does not bring back their loved one.

"He's there but she is never coming back he can't bring her back, nobody can bring her back," said Murillo.

So for now, they are trying to remember Heaven for who she was, kindhearted, family oriented and a young woman who lit up a room with her voice.