August 20, 2021 - Over the past couple months, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Bureau has meticulously investigated the Murder of a 17-year-old juvenile from Le Grand that occurred in Planada back in June 2021. During the investigation, detectives gathered information that led to several suspects being arrested.
The sequence of events that investigators have been able to establish is that on June 22, 2021, at about 9:00 P.M., Deputies received multiple calls about two vehicles driving throughout the area of Planada shooting at each other. Deputies arrived in the 1500 Block of Plainsburg Avenue and found a victim who was suffering from a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Additionally, it was determined that this subject was involved in the vehicle gun battle.
At 9:45 P.M., while detectives were investigating the shooting crime scenes, they received information about the 17-year-old juvenile at a local hospital suffering from a fatal gunshot wound. Hospital staff provided advanced life-saving measures, but he later died from his injuries.
On June 23, 2021, at approximately 2:30 P.M., Merced Sheriff Investigators with the assistance of the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office took 27-year-old Ociel Mendoza Jr. into custody. Mendoza was booked into the Merced County Jail on charges of murder.
On July 2, 2021, at about 8:00 A.M. Merced Sheriff Investigators along with The Merced County Sheriff’s STAR Team, Supervised Release Team, and MAGNET served several search warrants in the Planada area.
On August 18, 2021, Merced Sheriff Investigators along with The Merced County Sheriff’s SWAT Team served a search warrant in Planada and took Filiberto Maldonado Jr into custody on the charge of murder. During the search warrant, Detectives saw another suspect in this case. Detectives attempted to stop a vehicle and a short vehicle pursuit took place, 25-year-old Hericberto Pantoja was taken into custody.
Detectives later arrested 31-year-old Omar Maravilla Garcia, 20-year-old Cesar Villegas in relation to this case. Garica and Villegas were booked into the Merced County Jail on charges of assault with a deadly weapon regarding their involvement in the murder of Zaragoza. Additionally, Pantoja was arrested in regards to the pursuit and weapons charges.
If anyone has information regarding this case, please contact the Merced County Sheriff's Office Investigations Bureau at 209-385-7472. Your information will remain anonymous and could help in the investigation of this crime.
Source & photo: Merced County Sheriff’s Office
