SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KRON) — A man charged with murdering a young University of California Santa Cruz student by strangling her on a beach allegedly called 911 and confessed to police, newly filed court documents state.
Samuel Brannigan Stone, 20, made his first court appearance on Tuesday and he declined to enter a plea. Police said officers found Stone next to the victim’s body near the surfline at Seabright State Beach around 1 a.m. on February 23.
The UC Santa Cruz student did not have a pulse, and Stone allegedly told police that he “murdered his girlfriend,” court documents state.
The student and Stone were in a dating relationship, the Santa Cruz Police Department said.
The victim was later declared deceased at a nearby hospital. She was identified as Zainab Mansoor, 21, of San Ramon, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office told KRON4.
Stone is currently homeless and suffers from “mental health issues,” according to a motion filed in court seeking to keep him behind bars without bail. Stone “committed an extremely violent act, seemingly (without) cause. I am concerned suspect poses a threat to public safety (and) is a flight risk,” a detective wrote in the motion.
UC Santa Cruz officials confirmed to KRON4 that Stone is a former UCSC student. He was enrolled with the university between the summer of 2021 and the fall of 2023. He pursued a BA degree in business management economics, assistant vice chancellor Scott Hernandez-Jason said.
University officials said they are cooperating with SCPD’s investigators. UCSC Chancellor Cynthia Larive wrote in a message to the campus community, “I offer my sincerest condolences to the victim’s family, friends, teachers and classmates.”
On Tuesday, Santa Cruz County Superior Court Judge Guy Denine ordered the accused killer to return to court on March 13 for arraignment.
