The casualty of the murder- mystery plot on the CW’s “Melrose Place“?

It’s Ashlee Simpson-Wentz’s job.

Simpson and co-star Colin Egglesfield got the boot as their storylines were wrapping up at the midseason mark.

Ashlee’s character Violet was a major suspect in the murder mystery that has gripped the show so far, and producers decided once it was resolved in episode 12 “she would go on her way,” according to Entertainment Weekly.

Instead, producers say they are going to retool the show for something lighter than a death.

“Because we felt that once the murder mystery was resolved, the tone of the show was going to shift into a much more fun, romantic, sexy upbeat kind of show, and [her] character would move on,” said executive producer Todd Slavkin.

Slavkin said Simpson-Wentz behaved professionally when she learned of her dismissal, and that she had known ahead of time that being let go was a possibility.

Her last episode will air in January.

For more on Ashlee’s exit as well as her co-star’s axing, head to PopWrap!