Did Mexican Mafia ties lead to Brian Alfredo Mendez’s death that was discovered after the 26-year-old’s body was dumped near an Anaheim dumpster early this year?
To determine that, Anaheim Police Department homicide detectives must find and talk to whoever put the corpse by a commercial building in the 1600 block of South Sinclair Street just before midnight on Jan. 15.
Investigators particularly want to get a fix on a light colored Chevrolet SUV occupied by at least two people, according to an APD advisory.
In hopes of gathering information that may lead to the killer(s), the cop shop released to the public surveillance video believed to show the vehicle and people involved in dumping the body:
Raymond Berry, the owner of the property where the body was found, said at the time that his surveillance cameras, which collect still images every 10 seconds, captured a Suburban-type vehicle with no plates pulling up. Someone with his head covered is seen getting out, another image shows him pulling out a body and a final one captures the vehicle driving off, Berry said.
Univision reversed the order of the short clips the PD put up and lightened them up:
The report of a body found sent police officers to the location in the early morning hours of Jan. 16, when it was discovered that Anaheim resident Mendez had been shot multiple times.
“Interviews with Mendez’s friends and family revealed he was associated with the infamous Mexican Mafia prison gang,” states the APD release. “Detectives are exploring the possibility of Mendez’s gang affiliation being a contributing factor in the murder.”
Got helpful information but spooked by gangs? Anonymous tips may be left with Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS or via www.occrimestoppers.org.
The police department says a reward of up to $1,000 may be paid for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects.
OC Weekly Editor-in-Chief Matt Coker has been engaging, enraging and entertaining readers of newspapers, magazines and websites for decades. He spent the first 13 years of his career in journalism at daily newspapers before “graduating” to OC Weekly in 1995 as the alternative newsweekly’s first calendar editor.