Monique Mercedes King’s current whereabouts are not publicly known. She was sentenced in April 2004 to the California Youth Authority until age 25, a term that would have ended around 2012, and no public reporting has documented her release date, the conditions of her release, or what she has done since.1Los Angeles Times. Teen Sentenced in Slaying of Actor
What She Was Convicted Of
King was 15 in November 2002 when she told Damien Andre Gates and Brandon Douglas Bynes that actor Merlin Santana had made sexual advances toward her. The claim was false. Gates and Bynes shot Santana in the head as he sat in a parked car in the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles, and King helped them flee.2Backstage. Teen Sentenced for Role in Killing of Actor
Prosecutors charged her as an adult and initially sought a first-degree murder conviction. Her case was tried without a jury before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Larry P. Fidler, who on March 16, 2004, found her guilty of second-degree murder and attempted murder and acquitted her of two lesser charges. In his ruling, the judge said King had lied to her accomplices and helped them escape afterward.3Los Angeles Times. Teen Convicted in Slaying of Actor Santana
The Sentence That Set Her Release Date
On April 20, 2004, King was sentenced to the California Youth Authority, to be held until age 25.1Los Angeles Times. Teen Sentenced in Slaying of Actor That amounted to roughly eight years in a juvenile facility rather than an adult prison term. Because she was born around 1987, her 25th birthday fell around 2012, and her sentence would have ended then.
Deputy District Attorney Greg Dohi, who prosecuted the case, defended the outcome: “This case was tragic all around. Merlin Santana was a very gifted actor and his murder was utterly senseless. Monique King has had a miserable childhood and this verdict punishes her fairly and gives her a chance to turn her life around.”3Los Angeles Times. Teen Convicted in Slaying of Actor Santana
What the Public Record Shows Since Her Release
The public record goes quiet after her sentencing. She has not appeared in subsequent court filings or news coverage that is publicly available. Her release date, any conditions attached to it, her address, and her present circumstances are not part of the public record. Juvenile custody in California produces sealed or restricted records for most purposes, which is one reason a young offender’s later life often leaves no searchable trail.
Where Her Co-Defendants Stand
Damien Andre Gates, then 20, was convicted of first-degree murder and attempted murder and sentenced in February 2004 to three consecutive life sentences plus 70 years.2Backstage. Teen Sentenced for Role in Killing of Actor Under California laws enacted since 2013 that give people who committed serious crimes before age 26 a parole opportunity, Gates became eligible for a youth offender hearing.4California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Youth Offender Hearings Overview In September 2023, after about 21 years in custody, the Board of Parole Hearings granted him parole at his initial suitability hearing.5California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Week of Sept. 4 – Sept. 8, 2023
Brandon Douglas Bynes, then 23, pleaded guilty on January 26, 2004, to voluntary manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to 23 years.3Los Angeles Times. Teen Convicted in Slaying of Actor Santana