WAS FOUND ALONGSIDE
THE ROAD EARLIER THIS WEEK.
LET'S GO TO THEM NOW.
>> THIS IS AN UPDATE ON THE
MELANIE MEDINA DEATH
INVESTIGATION.
SHERIFF DEMINGS.
>> THANK YOU, CAPTAIN.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS
AFTERNOON.
APRIL 11TH, 2017, AT
APPROXIMATELY 8: A.M.,
15-YEAR-OLD MELANIE MEDINA'S
BODY WAS DISCOVERED ON THE SIDE
OF ZIEGLER ROAD WITH INJURIES
CONSISTENT WITH BEING SHOT.
LATER THAT EVENING, THROUGH
PERSONAL BELONGINGS FOUND AT THE
SCENE, THE VICTIM WAS IDENTIFIED
AS 15-YEAR-OLD MELANIE MEDINA.
ONWEDNESDA A 22-YEAR-OLD MAN
WAS IDENTIFIED AS A POSSIBLE
SUSPECT BASED ON ANONYMOUS TIPS
RECEIVED THROUGH CRIME LINE.
SINCE THE DISCOVERY OF THE BODY,
THE DETECTIVES HAVE ESSENTIALLY
BEEN WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK.
TODAY, DURING THE EARLY MORNING
HOURS, RAMSIS CRUZ WAS CONTACTED
BY DETECTIVES WHILE TRYING TO
LEAVE HIS RESIDENCE IN A BLACK
ACURA, WHICH IS NOW IN THE
POSSESSION OF THE SHERIFF'S
OFFICE.
THE ACURA HAD WHAT APPEARED TO
BE A BULLET HOLE IN THE
WINDSHIELD AND A HANDGUN WAS
LOCATED ON THE FRONT SEAT.
THE VEHICLE WAS SEIZED AND
TRANSPORTED TO SHERIFF'S
OPERATIONS FOR FURTHER
PROCESSING.
CRUZ WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE
ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S
OPERATIONS CENTER FOR INTERVIEW
WITH DETECTIVES WHERE CRUZ
ADVISED THAT HE, MEDINA AND A
16-YEAR-OLD FEMALE WERE INSIDE
THE ACURA IN THE AREA OF
MILLENNIA MALL AT APPROXIMATELY
11 P.M. ON APRIL THE 10TH, 2017.
WHEN MEDINA WAS SHOT INSIDE THE
VEHICLE.
THE 16-YEAR-OLD WILL NOT BE
IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.
CRUZ AND THE FEMALE DROVE TO
ZIEGLER ROAD WHERE THEY DISPOSED
OF MEDINA'S BODY.
AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE
INTERVIEW, CRUZ WAS ARRESTED AND
CHARGED WITH ACCESSORY AFTER THE
FACT TO SECOND-DEGREE MURDER.
DETECTIVES HAVE LOCATED AND
INTERVIEWED THE 16-YEAR-OLD
FEMALE WHO CONFIRMED THAT MEDINA
WAS SHOT INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND
HER BODY WAS LEFT ON ZIEGLER
ROAD
THIS IS STILL AN ONGOING
INVESTIGATION.
EVIDENCE IS STILL BEING
COLLECTED FOR FURTHER PROCESSING
TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHAT
OCCURRED INSIDE THE VEHICLE THAT
LED TO THE SHOOTING.
BUT THROUGH INTERVIEWS, IT HAS
BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE
16-YEAR-OLD FEMALE FIRED THE
WEAPON
THIS INVESTIGATION IS BY NO
MEANS OVER AND A LOT OF WORK
REMAINS TO BE DONE TO INCLUDE
THE REVIEW OF ANY ADDITIONAL
CHARGES ON BOTH INDIVIDUALS.
CRUZ AND THE 16-YEAR-OLD
DETECTIVES ARE WORKING WITH THE
STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO
DETERMINE ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATE
CHARGES.
I WANT TO REASSURE THIS
COMMUNITY THAT MY INVESTIGATORS
DO NOT BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY
OTHER SUSPECTS OUTSTANDING IN
THIS CASE.
THIS CASE IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE
OF THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY
INVOLVEMENT IN PROVIDING TIPS TO
CRIME LINE TO ASSIST LAW
ENFORCEMENT IN APPEA
REHENDING
SUSPECTS.
I'M GOING TO ASK DETECTIVE BOB
BERGEN FROM CRIME LINE TO COME
UP AND SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS OF HOW
THEY RECEIVE ANONYMOUS TIPS AND
HOW THAT CAN QUALIFY INDIVIDUALS
FOR POSSIBLE REWARD MONIES.
DETECTIVE BERGEN.
>> THANK YOU, SHERIFF.
GOOD AFTERNOON.
APOLOGIZE FOR THE VOICE.
BARB BERGEN.
SO YOU KNOW, OUR PHONES ARE
ANSWERED 24 HOURS A DAY.
THIS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF US
BEING ACTIVE 24 HOURS A DAY.
IF TIPS COME IN, THEY NEED TO BE
SENT DIRECTLY AND IMMEDIATELY TO
DETECTIVES WORKING CASES, THAT
HAPPENS.
WE TURN TIPS AROUND AS QUICK AS
THEY COME IN, IF THEY NEED TO BE
REACTED TO.
IN THIS CASE, THAT'S WHAT
HAPPENED LAST NIGHT.
INFORMATION WAS COMING IN FROM
CITIZENS AND IT WAS IMMEDIATELY
SENT OVER TO THE DETECTIVES
WORKING THIS CASE WHICH LED THEM
TO BE ABLE TO GET TWO SUSPECTS'
IDENTITIES AND MORE IMPORTANTLY,
PROBABLY, PHYSICAL EVIDENCE.
HAD THE CAR AND GUN AND OTHER
THINGS BEEN DESTROYED, IT WOULD
HAVE HELD THEM UP MUCH LONGER IN
BEING ABLE TO SOLVE THE CASE.
THE IMPORTANT PART IS A LOT OF
CITIZENS CALLED IN.
THERE WERE MULTIPLE TIPS THAT
CAME IN.
THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF
UNSOLVED CASES OUT THERE.
SO 24 HOURS A DAY, WE ENCOURAGE
OUR CITIZENS TO USE THIS
PROGRAM.
YOU WILL BE KEPT ANONYMOUS.
WE'VE DONE THIS FOR 40 YEARS.
WE DO OFFER REWARDS IN