A body investigators believe to be that of a 16-year-old girl was found Wednesday in Brentwood near where her 15-year-old friend was beaten to death the night before in a case that authorities suspect has gang involvement, Suffolk County police said.
Investigators said the body found at 5:14 p.m. in the woods off Ray Court matches the description of Kayla Cuevas of Brentwood, who was reported missing after the first girl’s death, police said.
At 8:36 p.m. Tuesday, a passerby had called 911 to report finding body on Stahley Street and upon arrival, Third Precinct police officers found Nisa Mickens, also of Brentwood, in the road with lacerations and head trauma, police had said.
Mickens was pronounced dead at the scene. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s office is conducted an autopsy and determined her cause and manner of death to be homicide by assault. Authorities suspect there may have been gang involvement in the death.
Investigators believe Cuevas was with Mickens at some point Tuesday night, which was the night before Mickens’ 16th birthday.
Homicide Squad detectives ask anyone with information about this incident to call them at 631-852-6392 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. There is a reward of up to $5,000 for an arrest in the case.
