A 16-year-old female and she confessed that she had shot Medina
A 16-year-old female and she confessed that she had shot Medina and dumped her body beside Ziegler Road in Orlando Orange County Sheriff's Office

A 16-year-old girl is accused of shooting her friend and with the help of a 22-year-old man, and left her body at the side of Ziegler Road in Orlando, Florida.

The body of 15-year-old Melanie Mesen Medina was found at approximately 8.30am on 11 April by a member of the public who noticed the teenager's body lying at the side of Ziegler Road, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Office.

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Deputies who arrived at the scene then notified OSCO Homicide Squad detectives. The victim was then identified as Medina and a $5,000 reward offered for information about her death.

The dead girl was fully clothed and showed signs of trauma, say deputies. They believe she was left there during the night.

"I think it was just convenient for them. It was a location they could go, they felt they could dump the body without being discovered by others," Demings said.

The Orange County Sherrif's Office posted on their Facebook page: "One arrest has been made in the tragic murder of 15-year-old Melanie Medina. A 16-year-old girl has admitted to shooting the young woman. OCSO held a media briefing on the homicide investigation."

An anonymous tip-off from Crimeline which was received on 12 April alerted detectives to 22-year-old Ramsys Cruz-Abreu. When police came to his apartment, Abreu was trying to escape in a black Acura which had a bullet hole in the windshield and a handgun on the front seat, Sheriff Jerry L Demings said.

Abreu was taken into custody and questioned by police. He told law officials that he, Medina and the 16-year-old girl were in the car when the teenager shot Medina inside the vehicle.

Ramsys Cruz-Abreu has been charged with second-degree murder
Ramsys Cruz-Abreu has been charged with second-degree murder Orange County Sheriff's Office

The 22-year-old was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and is being held at the Orange County Jail.

Police questioned the 16-year-old female and she confessed that she had shot Medina, who was a friend of hers. The shooter has not been named as she is a minor.

According to officials, the teenage girl is "somewhat cooperative". She is in the custody of her parents and not currently under arrest. The state attorney's office is determining the appropriate charges.

The investigation is ongoing to ascertain when happened inside the car that led to the shooting of Medina.

Florida