A Teen Girl Was Stabbed to Death in a ‘Very Violent’ Attack. Now, a Teen Boy Has Been Arrested in the Murder Investigation

A 16-year-old Florida girl was stabbed to death in a “very violent” attack — and a 16-year-old boy, whom her family said is her ex-boyfriend, has been arrested in the murder investigation.

The body of Abbriella Elliott of Hernando County was found by a hiker on a trail near Cypress Lakes Preserve on the morning of Thursday, March 27, according to local news outlet WFLA. The Daily Mail reported that her body was found about 50 to 100 feet inside the wooded trail.

In a March 28 press conference, Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis said Elliott had been killed with an “edged weapon” and investigators “could tell very quickly that there was a lot of passion and a lot of violence involved,” per 10 Tampa Bay.

“It was nothing short of very violent,” he added.

Nienhuis also told reporters that a witness had since come forward and told police that Elliott left her home on March 27 at around 1:30 a.m. local time to meet someone who “was likely the person who killed her,” according to 10 Tampa Bay.

Police confirmed at the news conference that they had arrested a 16-year-old boy in relation to the case, and that while the suspect is a minor, he will likely be charged as an adult on the count of first-degree murder.

“The only history for this particular individual is a battery arrest last year,” Nienhuis said of the suspect.

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Elliott’s parents told 10 Tampa Bay that the suspect is their daughter’s ex-boyfriend, and that the pair had been broken up for six months. Police have not confirmed the nature of Elliott’s connection with the suspect, if any, at this time.

PEOPLE reached out to the Hernando County Police for comment on Sunday, April 6, but did not receive an immediate response.

Elliott was known for her “infectious smile, her kindness, and her boundless compassion,” per her obituary. 

“Abby’s spirit shone brightly, and she had an extraordinary ability to make others feel loved and cherished. Her laughter and warmth filled every room, and she had an unwavering ability to lift the spirits of everyone she met,” the obit continued. 

A vigil for Elliott — who turned 16 two weeks before her death — was held on March 30. 

“She could put a smile on anybody’s face,” her mother Danyel Caltagirone said at the vigil, per Spectrum News. “Everyone who met her, she left an impact on.”

A GoFundMe, which her family set up to help cover funeral expenses, has received more than $10,500 in donations from over 150 donors so far.