Episode 79, Season 5 - The Murder of Merlin Santana – Shooting Death
- Bianca Sloane
- Jan 19
- 1 min read
Actor Merlin Santana first gained fame playing Rudy Huxtable’s boyfriend, Stanley, on The Cosby Show.
His star would continue to rise with roles on other popular shows throughout the nineties, including NYPD Blue, and his signature role on The Steve Harvey Show.
However, when Merlin crosses paths with Monique King, it will set off a horrific chain of events that will end in a deadly hail of gunfire.
Listen to the episode HERE.
Photo caption (L-R) Actor Merlin Santana got his big break when he was cast as Stanley, Rudy Huxtable's boyfriend, on "The Cosby Show." (credit: IMDB); Merlin's big break came after Bill Cosby spotted him in an off-Broadway production called, "Hey, Little Walter" (credit: Internet Archive); After "The Cosby Show," Merlin landed roles on such shows as "Moesha," "Sister, Sister," and "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper" (credit: Wikipedia); In 1996, Merlin landed his signature role, Romeo Santana, on "The Steve Harvey Show" (credit: aspireTV); Merlin's co-star on "The Steve Harvey Show," William Lee Scott, expected Merlin to be a massive movie star (credit: Vocal Media); Monique King was the last phone call Merlin made before he was murdered (credit: Vocal Media) Monique's boyfriend, Damian Andre Gates and his buddy, Brandon Bynes, were arrested for Merlin's murder (credit: Vocal Media); Crime scene photos (credit: Final Cut/Investigation Discovery)
Transcript*:
*provided transcripts are lightly edited.
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