Santa Monica High School student stabbed; suspect collapses during police questioning
A 17-year-old Los Angeles girl died after passing out while under interrogation by police Sunday about her role in the death of a Santa Monica High School sophomore.
The girl, identified by the Los Angeles Coroner’s Department as Katrina Sarkissian, was rushed to UCLA Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, possibly of a drug overdose, sources said.
Sarkissian’s death capped a tragic sequence of events, which began Saturday night with the killing of Deanna Maran, 15, at a party in Westwood on the 900 block of Thayer Avenue.
The tragedy began after Maran found a 15-year-old girl destroying property at the house where the party was held and told her to stop, according to sources. Maran and the 15-year-old fought after the confrontation, though partygoers broke it up, police said.
However, the unidentified 15-year-old was not yet satisfied, sources suggested.
“The girl realized that she couldn’t take Deanna on by herself,” said a friend of Maran’s who declined to give her name.
The 15-year-old suspect then reportedly left the party.
“Deanna was trying to get out of there while they left but she couldn’t find a ride,” the student said, adding that Maran didn’t start the fight and was only protecting herself.
The 15-year-old later returned with friends, according to sources. They allegedly pinned Maran down and stabbed her at about 10:30 p.m., according to police and sources. It is unclear why no one at the party broke up the deadly fight or what weapon was used.
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 is reportedly the 15-year-old’s sister and is suspected of stabbing Maran, sources said.
Sarkissian and the 15-year-old were arrested about 2 p.m. Sunday. During questioning, Sarkissian lost consciousness and was rushed to UCLA Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 5:26 p.m., police said. The 15-year-old is being held in the West Los Angeles Jail.
Sarkissian may have overdosed on sleeping pills, school officials and students said. However, police would not confirm the cause of her death, pending an autopsy by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Department.
Maran was an honor student and a member of the school’s volleyball, track and water polo teams.
“She had a smile that would light up the night,” said Harriet Maran, her mother. “She got killed because she wanted a girl to behave... It shouldn’t have happened. They shouldn’t raise monsters like this.”
“She had a smile that would light up the night.” — — HARRIET MARAN Victim’s mother
In an effort to help the grieving students understand how such a tragic loss could have happened, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District brought in 20 outside counselors to aid the district’s own counseling staff. Santa Monica High School has 3,380 students.
A friend of Maran’s who declined to give her name said three rooms were filled with students who sought counseling. She was one of them.
“Everyone is having a hard time,” she said. “She was a really nice person... I talked to a counselor and it gave us a chance to express our feelings about it.”
When school let out Monday shortly after 3 p.m. students consoled each other as they had all day, hugging, while some speculated on the events that led to the murder of their classmate.
“The general mood is students are sad,” said Santa Monica High School Co-principal Dr. Mark Kelly. “They are working to support each other. They are finding comfort in each other... It hurts a lot and that’s the hard part.
“The effects are longer than then immediate.”
School district superintendent John Deasy said he was notified of Maran’s death on Sunday. He spent time with her parents that afternoon and quickly organized the school’s staff to go into response mode.
A meeting for parents and faculty will be held today at 7:30 p.m. in the high school’s cafeteria. Deasy said the family plans to have a private memorial for Maran but the school will hold a public service.
“Plans are underway for a memorial to be held at school next Monday after school,” he said.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 20, 2001. Read the original PDF.