Fifteen-year-old girl arrested in connection to Merlin Santana murder.

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Author: Fields, Kerika

Last week's tragic murder in Los Angeles of television actor and aspiring rapper Merlin Santana remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. Santana, 26, best known for his role as Romeo on “The Steve Harvey Show,” was shot as he sat in a parked car in the 3800 block of Victoria Avenue, a quiet residential street in South Los Angeles.

Speculation about what the young actor was doing at the scene continues. Some reports have described him as the victim of a botched robbery attempt. Sources state that Santana and a friend had been at a nearby home with a girl, whom he had met earlier that evening. She left the home and later returned outside the residence about 2:45 a.m., accompanied by two men in a car. An officer from the LAPD who refused to be identified believes that Santana was “set up” by the young woman. Santana was shot while sitting in the passenger seat in the vehicle and was apparently set to leave.

Although detectives at the Los Angeles Police Department refuse to state a motive at this time, they have confirmed that a 15-year-old girl was arrested the day after the murder. While LAPD officials refused to identify the girl because of her age, they did provide some information.

The young woman is believed to be the driver of a car used in the shooting and not the one who pulled the trigger. The Juvenile Court petition against the girl alleges that “a principal was armed with a rifle,” which indicates authorities believe someone other than the girl actually did the shooting. Police are still looking for two male suspects, while the young woman in question has been ordered to return to court on Dec. 10. At that time, a judge will determine if she should be tried as a juvenile or an adult.

The LAPD has refused any further comment. “We aren't releasing any further details because it could jeopardize the ongoing investigation,” Los Angeles Police Officer Jason Lee said. The department has assigned eight detectives to the murder and hopes to have the case solved in the near future.

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By Kerika Fields, Special to the AmNews