A 26-year-old Pa­lo Seco man is ex­pect­ed to be charged with the mur­der of 12-year-old Mer­cedez Layne.

The Di­rec­tor of Pub­lic Pros­e­cu­tions has ad­vised in­ves­ti­ga­tors to lay the charge af­ter re­view­ing the file sub­mit­ted by of­fi­cers of the Re­gion Three Homi­cide Bu­reau of In­ves­ti­ga­tions. Once charged, the sus­pect is ex­pect­ed to ap­pear be­fore a High Court Mas­ter to­mor­row.

The sus­pect was de­tained hours af­ter Mer­cedez’s body was dis­cov­ered. In­ves­ti­ga­tors al­so re­turned to his home at Dick­ie Trace yes­ter­day as part of on­go­ing en­quiries.