Trio charged in fatal shooting of Victorville girl – Press-Enterprise

The San Bernardino County District Attorneys Office announced Tuesday that theyve charged three people with murder in connection to the fatal shooting of a 12-year-old Victorville girl last week.

Anthony Pitts, 26, of Adelanto, Danielle Cummings, 29, of Apple Valley, and Reyna Mercado, 28, of San Bernardino, have each been charged with one count of murder and one count of shooting at an inhabited dwelling, according to a news release from the DAs office. The criminal complaint indicates they were charged Tuesday. They are also scheduled to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The shooting was the culmination of a feud between the suspects family and the girls family that had been brewing for at least a month, San Bernardino County sheriffs officials said previously. The spat had escalated prior to the shooting on the evening of Aug. 9.

Related Story: Documented gang member arrested in Redlands in shooting of 12-year-old Victorville girl

Once again, we have an innocent child caught in the crossfire, DA Mike Ramos said in a written statement. A young life taken away far too soon. We cant bring her back, but I can promise one thing. Our office, our prosecutors, our victim advocates and all of our support staff will work tirelessly, like we do in every case, to be the voice for young Makiya. She deserves nothing less than justice. We will hold these individuals accountable for their despicable actions.

Pitts was detained 6 p.m. Thursday at his mothers Redlands home in the shooting that left Makiya Walls dead in the 17000 block of Monaco Drive in Victorville, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon said. Cummings and Mercado also were detained then arrested.

Makiyas mother, Maesha Lundy, 35, of Victorville, and her boyfriend, Christopher Hicks, 34, were also arrested on suspicion of making threats against Pitts and his family, but the DAs office declined to file charges against them, said Christopher Lee, spokesman for the department.

There was a case submitted to our office involving Christopher Hicks and Maesha Lundy for potential criminal threats. The case was turned down against both individuals, Lee said in an email.

According to officials, Cummings called 911 after Hicks of Victorville showed up at their Adelanto home. Cummings advised deputies she had recordings of Lundy and Hicks continuously calling her after the shooting making threats and provided those recordings to officials. The two were arrested early Friday morning at a Victorville motel.

If convicted as charged, Pitts, Cummings and Mercado face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

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Trio charged in fatal shooting of Victorville girl - Press-Enterprise

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