LOS ANGELES (AP) - Two 15-year-old boys were arrested in connection with the death of a 15-year-old girl whose body was discovered in an industrial area south of Los Angeles, authorities said Wednesday.
Samantha Bustos was found face down among some bushes in Compton on March 25, a day after her family reported her missing. An autopsy revealed she was shot and her death was ruled a homicide.
A teen suspect arrested over the weekend “confirmed his involvement” in the girl’s death, according to a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department statement.
The second boy ran from deputies Tuesday when they arrived at his home, but surrendered when they located him on a nearby rooftop, officials said.
“During questioning, the subject implicated himself in the shooting death,” the sheriff’s statement said.
Each boy could face a murder charge. Investigators have not identified a motive.
The victim was last seen by family members on March 22. The girl’s mother, Blanca Bautista, has said her daughter claimed she was going to a sleepover with her best friend, but went to a party instead, according to KNBC-TV.
Samantha was a sophomore at New Designs Charter School in Watts, where counselors were made available following her death.
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