Raya Torres

Raya Torres is a “child of the world.” Born in Los Angeles, she spent her formative years in Vietnam and the Philippines before returning to the U.S. to earn a B.A. in Journalism with a minor in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach.

Raya began her professional career as a reporter and producer at 13 News (KOLD) in Tucson, Arizona, where her work drew national attention — covering investigations including the Nancy Guthrie disappearance, the self-deportation of a Colombian family, and the reopening of thousands of sexual assault cold cases tied to DNA testing of backlogged kits.

At “The Beach,” Raya was an Honors student and graduated Summa Cum Laude, earning the College of Liberal Arts’ Outstanding Baccalaureate Award. She also received distinctions from the Hearst Awards, the Associated Collegiate Press, and the College Media Association.

Raya earned a Golden Mike Award for her documentary, “Reporting from Uvalde,” which examined long-term stress responses to covering mass shootings and amplified the voices of those living with lasting grief and trauma.

She previously worked at the assignment desk of KABC-TV in Los Angeles and wrote for Orange Coast Magazine, as well as the California Student Journalism Corps under EdSource.

Raya is excited to immerse herself in the Midwest as a reporter with the First Alert 4 News team, telling important and impactful stories across St. Louis.