MOTIVE PROBED IN GIRL'S SLAYING : TEEN TESTIFIED IN HEARING AGAINST FORMER BOYFRIEND.

Byline: Jeanne Mariani-Belding and Jeannette DeSantis Daily News Staff Writers

Police said Monday they are investigating whether a Panorama City girl's fatal shooting was linked to her earlier testimony against a former boyfriend accused of kidnapping her last month.

Melinda ``Mindy'' Carmody, 16, was fatally shot Friday night in the 18000 block of Schoenborn Street in Northridge.

Carmody testified at a preliminary hearing last month for Juan Manuel Lopez, who is in custody on charges of kidnapping, assault and burglary stemming from his alleged abduction of the girl March 13.

Lopez, 23, who was arrested within days of the alleged incident, is in jail in lieu of $130,000 bail, authorities said.

Los Angeles police Capt. Vance Proctor said detectives are investigating whether the girl's testimony may have factored into her killing.

``Naturally we are looking into that,'' Proctor said. ``We have a boyfriend in jail who has assaulted a woman in the past. Of course we would investigate it. It's certainly a lead we're following up on.''

Officials said Carmody was the key witness against Lopez.

``She was a very sweet girl,'' said prosecutor Laura Baird. ``It's a shame it had to happen. She cried during the preliminary hearing. She was very upset and very frightened of him.''

During questioning by Baird in the preliminary hearing, Carmody testified she was scared of Lopez because, ``He told me if I had ever broke up with him, he would kill me,'' according to court records.

The day she died, Carmody had applied for a job at a local beauty salon and was studying to obtain her driver's license, family members said. She was getting ready to take her high school equivalency test and looking forward to going to beauty school.

``Mindy was always happy. She was always perky and I admired her for that,'' said Deborah Caulfield, Mindy's aunt.

``She was sensitive, especially to other people's feelings. She was also trusting - too trusting,'' Caulfield said as she sat on the porch Monday outside the Carmody apartment, trying to take in her niece's slaying.

Mindy moved to Panorama City with her mother, Susan Carmody, about two years ago. Afraid of the violence in public schools, Susan Carmody decided on home schooling for her daughter.

But family members say Mindy's life took a dark turn about a year ago, when she met and began dating Lopez, whom Caulfield described as soft-spoken and quiet.

The relationship ended about three weeks before the girl's alleged abduction.

Mindy's family is cherishing the only things they have left - memories and mementos: ``Jill'' and ``Joey'' - the porcelain dolls Mindy made, Mindy's cat, Gizmo, and an unfinished turquoise lampshade sitting on the dining room table.

``Mindy was making this before she died,'' Caulfield said. ``Her mother's going to finish it for her now.''

MEMO: Daily News Staff Writer Jaxon Van Derbeken contributed to this report.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

PHOTO Melinda ``Mindy'' Carmody

Called sweet, trusting