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# Second murder suspect may not be charged
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/second-murder-suspect-may-not-be-charged/
- Published: 2001-11-21T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-22T22:27:52.000Z
- Author: Carolyn Sackariason
- Tags: Crime, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*Community grieving over Samohi student murder*

The teenager who fought with slain Santa Monica High School sophomore Deanna Maran at a party Saturday has been arrested in connection with her murder but is no longer in police custody and may not be charged.

The unidentified 15-year-old’s sister, Katrina Sarkissian, 17, had been charged with murdering Maran. But she collapsed Sunday during police questioning and died a few hours later. Her cause of death is expected from the Los Angeles Coroner’s Department by the end of the week. Sources say the accused girl took sleeping pills, possibly to avoid murder charges.

Witnesses say that about 10:30 p.m., Maran, who was standing in the street in front of the house where the party was held in West Los Angeles, fought with the 15-year-old suspect. Party-goers broke up the fight, but another one ensued shortly after with Sarkissian, the suspect’s older sister. Maran, 15, was subsequently stabbed with an unknown weapon, according to police. Instead of calling for an ambulance, Maran’s friends drove her to Santa Monica Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 12:15 a.m. Sunday.

Sarkissian and her 15-year-old sister were arrested about 2 p.m. Sunday. But after collapsing, Sarkissian was rushed to UCLA Medical Center where she died at 5:26 p.m., police said.

> “Every parent needs to know about this,” — one parent said of the tragedy

The unidentified 15-year-old was released to her parents Monday and is scheduled to be in court within 15 days, according to Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Jack Richter. It is unclear whether she will be tried as an adult or if the charges will be dropped entirely, he added.

“Just because she got into a fight with the girl doesn’t mean that she had a part in her death,” Richter said, adding juveniles usually are released to their parents. “Generally, unless they are a threat to society they are released and I don’t believe she was charged with the murder itself. Apparently it was the 17-year-old that actually had done it.”

Meanwhile, parents, students and the community are still reeling from the shock of losing Maran, who was an honors student and member of the track, volleyball and water polo teams.

Grief counselors are helping students and parents understand how such a tragedy could have occurred. Parents met with faculty and counselors Monday night at the Santa Monica High School to search for answers.

Even police investigators wonder what went wrong and if Sarkissian really took her own life.

“It’s a rather odd situation but we are talking about kids here. They don’t have an understanding of our mortality,” Richter said. “I guess things just escalated to a point that got out of control.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 21, 2001.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/112101.pdf?ref=smdp.com)