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Roommate Faces Murder Charge In Death Of Missing Sacramento State Graduate

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – The man accused of murdering a missing Sac State graduate has a violent past, according to court documents.

Deputies arrested Teris Vinson on unrelated weapons charges last week and Monday also charged him with the murder of 28-year-old Janet Mejia.

A makeshift memorial now stands in front of the apartment complex where Mejia, Vinson and a third woman lived.

"When it happened I started crying because she was just the sweetest girl. The sweetest girl ever," said Edlin Boucher who lives nearby.

Boucher can't imagine why anyone would want to hurt the 28-year-old Sacramento State grad who had big aspirations and an even bigger heart.

"I feel so bad. I feel like, why her? She was so sweet," she said.

It's a question that's puzzled the community.

Mejia disappeared on April 10. For days, family and friends put up flyers and spoke out hoping for her safe return. Three days later, investigators found her body shot to death in Placer County.

"It appears her body was dumped off the roadway," said Sgt. Tony Turnbull with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.

Now detectives believe it's one of those roommates who shot and killed Mejia.

As it turns out, Vinson is no stranger to the law. According to court documents, he pleaded no contest to felony domestic violence in 2012 and then again in 2013 when he was also charged with kidnapping. That charge was dropped, but he was still sentenced to two years in state prison.

"She didn't deserve this," Boucher said.

Even her employer, Nordstrom in Roseville, released a statement:

"We were deeply saddened to hear of Janet's death. Our hearts go out to her family and friends for the tragic loss of a bright young woman."

Boucher said now all anyone can do is pray for Mejia's family during this tragic time.

CBS13 reached out to Vinson in jail and was told by the guard, "I don't want to talk to no one."

He was arraigned Monday on felony weapons charges and will be arraigned on the murder charge Wednesday.

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