Marina man pleads guilty to Cannery Row murder

UPDATE: 7/11/2018 3:17 p.m. A Marina man pleaded guilty to murdering another man near Cannery Row back in 2016.

According to the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office, 23-year-old Jorge Mendoza was illegally concealing and carrying a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol when he got into an argument with Raul Melendez while drinking at the Giant Artichoke night club in Monterey.

The fight was taken out to the street where the DA’s office said Mendoza followed Melendez from Prescott Street onto the 600 block of Wave Street. Melendez was shot six times and died from his gun-shot wounds.

“Mendoza fled to Mexico and after four months, with the help of Mexican Authorities, he was arrested by United States Marshalls and returned to the United States for prosecution,” said DA Dean D. Flippo.

Mendoza had a previous conviction for being a gang member.

The Giant Artichoke night club has since closed.

Mendoza will be sentenced to 34-years-to-life in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation on August 2.

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Officials said an arrest was made on Saturday for a homicide in the 600 block of Wave Street in Monterey on Nov. 23, 2016.

The suspect in the homicide was identified as Jorge Luis Mendoza. According to investigators Mendoza, an American citizen, fled to Mexico.

Investigators said they requested assistance from the United States Marshals Services in arresting Mendoza.

On Thursday, Mendoza was arrested in Mexico by local authorities.

Mendoza was then transported back to California on Saturday and arrested for the homicide of 28-year-old, Raul Melendez of Monterey.

Mendoza was booked into county jail and his bail was set at $1,300,000.