SAN DIEGO -- A man accused of the shotgun killing eight years ago of a 17-year-old girl over a perceived slight will face trial for murder and assault with a firearm, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Omar Emanuel Maldonado, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, remains held without bail following a three-hour preliminary hearing before Judge William Kennedy.

Mexican authorities captured Maldonado, now 25, in Tijuana last October and booked him into jail in connection with the Feb. 17, 2000, slaying of Leah Tadeo.

Retired San Diego police homicide Detective James Tomsovic said the shooting took place in the bedroom of a triplex unit at 4361 Logan Ave. in Southcrest. Detectives found numerous shotgun shells in the residence, the detective said.

According to Deputy District Attorney Frank Jackson, witnesses reported that Maldonado was angered when his tagging crew nickname was crossed out from a list written on a bathroom mirror.

Tadeo was mistakenly targeted by Maldonado because someone saw her coming out of the bathroom, Jackson said. The girl was not normally connected to the group of 10-20 people in the residence, and it was learned the next day someone else had removed Maldonado's name from the mirror, he said.

District Attorney's Investigator William Cahill testified that a witness told him that Maldonado "had a real serious look on his face" when he aimed an unloaded shotgun at Tadeo.

The witness said Maldonado handed the firearm to someone who loaded a shell and gave it back to the defendant, according to Cahill, who investigated the case as a member of the SDPD gang unit.

The witness reported that Maldonado aimed the gun at Tadeo from behind, she noticed it and yelled at him to move it away, but he fired when she turned away from him, Cahill testified.

Tomsovic said there was a lot of blood around the head and upper body as she lay dead on her back on the floor.

"There was evidence of a massive wound to the back of the head," Tomsovic said.

Several days later after the shooting, homicide detectives obtained an arrest warrant naming Maldonado as the alleged killer. By that time, the defendant had left the area, apparently fleeing to Baja California, where he has relatives.

The case was eventually featured on the television show "America's Most Wanted."

Last year, Mexican law enforcement officials got a tip that led to Maldonado's arrest in Tijuana.

When the defendant was paraded before reporters under heavy guard in Mexico, he said the shooting was an accident.

The assault charge involves an incident two days for before Tadeo was killed. Cahill testified that a witness said she was in a car with Maldonado when someone called out a gang challenge and fired at them, breaking a window.

According to Cahill, she said that Maldonado grabbed a shotgun and got out of the car. She reported hearing a gunshot before the victim ran back and ordered her to drive off, the investigator said.