Police seeking man charged in Amya Monserrat’s death
YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown Police Department has issued an arrest warrant for Saun M. Peterson, 20, on a charge of complicity to murder in the April 15 shooting death of Amya Monserrat, 15, outside of Martha’s Boulevard Bar and Grill.
Youngstown Police Capt. Jason Simon issued a news release Tuesday afternoon saying Peterson may be driving a black 2010 Mercedes E-Class E 350 with an expired Ohio temporary tag of Q478958. Peterson is about 5-foot-9, 160 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Peterson, the vehicle or other people involved in the homicide are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-4WANTED the Youngstown Police Department at 330-746-8YPD, Crime Stoppers at 330-746-CLUE or the U.S. Marshal’s Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED. Anonymous tips can be submitted online at www.usmarshals.gov/district/oh-n/index.html Reward money is available.
The news release states that the investigation into Amya’s murder is ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming.
Already charged is Danyo R. Sellers, 16, who had an initial hearing Monday in Mahoning County Juvenile Court. He was before Magistrate Karen Romano Melone, who said the boy faces one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder. He later signed a form indicating his “denial” of the charges, the juvenile equivalent of a not guilty plea.
Each charge has a specification of a vehicle being involved, which would add three years to his sentence if convicted. Each charge also alleges the shootings were a “drive-by,” which would add five years to his sentence if convicted.
The murder and attempted murder changes are all first-degree felonies.
The magistrate ordered the boy held in the Juvenile Justice Center pending his next hearing, which will be overseen by Mahoning County Juvenile Court Judge Theresa Dellick. The date of that hearing was not available.
On Monday, Mahoning County Prosecutor Gina DeGenova said a decision has not yet been made on whether to ask for the charges to be bound over to adult court.
“There remains an ongoing investigation into other possible suspects, so such a decision is premature. Once the investigation is complete, we will review the facts and circumstances at that time and make a decision,” she said.
Amya, a student at Mahoning Valley Christian School on Southern Boulevard, was killed in the gunfire while attending a party at Martha’s Boulevard Bar and Grille on Southern Boulevard.
Police said Amya was not the intended target of the gunfire. She was “hit by a stray bullet,” Simon said.
Lt. Mohammad Awad of the detective division said previously the shooting involved “two groups of people shooting at each other. We don’t know how many shooters were involved in each group, but there were two parties to this. And they weren’t alone.”