Samantha Bustos update (Missing teen found dead): 2 boys arrested
Days after Samantha Bustos body (missing teen found dead in Compton last week) was discovered, two arrests have been made in the death of the 15-year-old girl.
According to Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials, two 15-year-old boys have been booked on suspicion of murder in the case. This is coming after the police initially said only one juvenile was in custody in connection with Samantha Bustos’ death.
How Samantha Bustos died
Samantha Bustos went missing from her home in an unincorporated area of Gardena. She hadn’t been seen since she left to go hang out with friends Friday afternoon.
According to her cousin Susan Lainez in an email to KTLA, the 15-year-old stopped answering calls on her cellphone after 5 p.m. that Friday, and the device was shut off after midnight.
Her family officially reported her missing on Sunday.
Only for Bustos’ body to be found before dawn March 25 with a gunshot wound in her upper torso, deposited face-down in bushes near the Dominguez Hills Industrial Park in the 500 block of West Victoria Street.
About Samantha’s manner of death, police authorities initially described that she was found with a “traumatic” injury.
The L.A. County coroner’s office ruled Samantha Bustos death a homicide.
ARRESTS:
After detectives followed up on leads and conducted interviews, the first 15-year-old boy suspect was detained last Saturday, March 30.
Investigators believe that boy was present when Bustos was killed and “involved in the events” following her death.
Detectives said the suspect was booked on suspicion of murder after confirming his involvement during interviews.
On Tuesday, investigators learned of a second 15-year-old boy involved and went to his home in the 1200 block of South Central Avenue to detain him
When the teen learned deputies were there, he fled to the roof of an adjacent building but eventually surrendered and was taken in for questioning.
Investigators say during the interview, he also implicated himself in Bustos’ shooting and was subsequently booked for murder.
Because they are minors, the suspects’ names were not being released. Investigations are still on.