Sunny Giordano: Stabbed to death in Tennessee motel by alleged boyfriend
Sunny Talia Giordano of Memphis was a regular teenager who had an affection for animals.
"She loved going [to] the movies and spending time with her friends," her obituary reads. "She was an avid lover of animals and took many under her wing. She owned birds, guinea pigs, fish, cats, and of course, dogs. Her favorite was her Yorki Pomeranian, Chia, who left her in April this year."
She also liked to post on Snapchat and hang with men older than her. Police say it was infatuation with the latter that got her into trouble. she had went to the motel with her boyfriend because she wanted to, but what happened when they got to the Lotus Inn & Suites outside Nashville has led to the man's arrest and funeral arrangements being made for the 18-year-old girl.
A police officer on patrol noticed a blue Crown Victoria running outside the motel as the man, Ben Austin Bolton, approached the car. The officer said Bolton appeared agitated so he asked him what was going on, according to News Channel 5.
The man said that a woman had been stabbed to death in his hotel room by an unknown person. When law enforcement continued to question him though his explanation broke down after surveillance video failed to turn up anyone else around his second-floor motel room: Police arrested Bolton in the death of Giordano, whom they say was stabbed in the throat, according to WKRN-TV.
When officers went up to the motel room they found a bloody scene straight out of a horror movie: Giordano had been fatally injured with several stab wounds and her body had been placed in the bathtub wrapped in bedsheets and a blanket.
Bolton, 22, who is charged with criminal homicide and evidence tampering, is being held on $500,000 bond, WKRN reports.
"Sunny was a beautiful girl who was strong, determined, and a forgiving, young, loving soul," her obit says. "Sunny would often ask her mom 'Why are people staring at me?'' and her mom would say 'because you are beautiful. Just hold your head up and hit them with your big blue eyes and smile."
Although she was young, Giordano was no stranger to troublesome men. In March 2016, she was arrested and charged in a three-week crime spree with another man, this time a 21-year-old. They both faced burglary, theft and weapons charges, according to WREG-TV.
On social media, many users connected Giordano's death with her refusing to comply with a sex act that Bolton wanted. On Twitter, the hashtag, #RIPSunni was used by many to call attention to the teenager's tragic plight.
