Aspiring actress/model Juliana Redding was found dead by police in her Santa Monica home on Monday.  Redding had been working as a waitress at a strip club to help ends meet as she chased her dream of becoming a successful actress and model.

Juliana Redding, 21, was found Sunday evening after her mother in Tucson, Ariz. called police to report that she hadn’t been able to reach her daughter by telephone, Lt. Alex Padilla said.

It wasn’t clear how long Redding had been dead, but police believed she died “as a result of an assault,” Padilla said.

An autopsy was scheduled Tuesday to determine the cause of death, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said.

Redding had been taking accomplished actor Greg Cipes.  Cipes has not been named as a suspect but did Cipes kill Juliana?  Detectives will likely find out and question him first.  Boyfriends/husbands/spouses are usually the prime suspect in mysterious murders until they can establish their alibi.