Officials: Girl, 15, shot by her friend
The death of a 15-year-old girl turned even more tragic when officials announced Thursday she was shot and killed by a teenage friend.
She hasn’t been charged yet, but Ramsys CruzAbreu, 22, was arrested on a charge of accessory to murder in the death of Melanie Mesen Medina, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said at a news conference Thursday afternoon.
Demings said CruzAbreu and the teen suspect dumped Melanie’s body on the side of the road near Orange Blossom Trail on April 11 after the shooting.
Police are still looking into the relationship between the girls and CruzAbreu.
“This is a case … related to teenagers
who were out doing some adult-like things that they shouldn’t have been doing,” Demings said.
A series of tips led police to CruzAbreu. At the time of his arrest, he was driving a black Acura, which had a handgun on the front seat and a bullet hole in the windshield, Demings said.
He told detectives that he was with Melanie and a 16-year-old girl around 11 p.m. Monday near The Mall at Millennia. He said the girl, whose name was being withheld until she is charged, fatally shot Melanie inside the vehicle.
The pair drove roughly 15 minutes from the mall to Ziegler Road and dumped the body, CruzAbreu told detectives. Demings said the dark road with few cars was a convenient spot to leave Melanie’s body.
When detectives interviewed the 16-year-old girl, she confirmed the chilling story.
They also said she didn’t say why the gun went off. The teen is in custody, Demings said.
Detectives don’t believe any other suspects were involved in the murder, Demings said. They are working with the State Attorney’s Office to determine appropriate charges teen and possible additional charges for CruzAbreu.
The Sheriff ’s Office said that it was “not unusual for her to be out late on a school night.” Melanie’s parents didn’t give a reason to investigators as to why she was out that night. Melanie lived in a home with several relatives.
A passerby on Ziegler Road initially called authorities at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday to report seeing the girl’s body.
Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Jane Watrel said Wednesday that Demings “authorized the Homicide Squad to use any resource they deem necessary to solve this murder,” and a $5,000 reward was offered soon after her death for information about her death.
Melanie was an eighthgrader at Corner Lake Middle school until recently. Her parents withdrew her from school on April 6, according to school officials, but it is unclear why. School officials said counseling was available.
Crimeline director Barbara Bergin said that although the suspects are in custody, witnesses to the crime who haven’t called police with other information should do so as soon as possible at 800-423-8477.