Murdered Mendota brothers suspect arrested

By Lorenzo Reyna
on Thursday, September 22nd, 2011 at 2:40 pm

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MENDOTA, CA - A wanted 20-year-old murder suspect responsible for two shooting deaths in Mendota was arrested hundreds of miles away in San Diego area this past weekend.

The Fresno County Sheriff’s Department made the arrest public on Tuesday and informed that Yovanni Bonilla, 20, has been arrested for the slayings of two Mendota brothers, who were killed at a birthday party back on Sept. 11.

According to Lt. Bob Miller of the Fresno Sheriff’s Department, the shooting incident occurred around 3:30 a.m last Sunday as shots were fired into a crowd of people inside the 830 block of Stamoules Street in Mendota.

“Approximately, 50 people were at this location attending a birthday party when a vehicle drove up,” Miller said. “Two suspects exited the vehicle and started shooting. Four victims were shot. Two brothers died from gunshot wounds.”

The slain victims were Rene Leon, 22, and Daniel Leon, 15, both from Mendota. The sheriff’s office also confirmed that Mendota police also investigated another shooting after being called to the 200 block of Black Street.

Detectives believe that both shootings were gang related, and that one person was wounded in the second shooting. During the investigation, sheriff spokesman Chris Curtice mentioned that investigators began to develop information about the whereabouts of Bonilla, which led them all the way down to the San Diego suburb of El Centro.

“This past Friday afternoon, with the assistance of El Centro PD and the U.S Marshall’s, Sheriff’s detectives arrested Bonilla as he left a residence,” Curtice said.

Bonilla was transported to Imperial County Jail where he was booked on the arrest warrant for two counts of murder, as well as three counts of attempted murder in connection to the case. He’s expected to be transported back to Fresno by the Sheriff’s Transportation Unit sometime Wednesday.

Fresno Bee: Man arrested, suspected in Mendota slayings

ABC – News 30 KFSN-TV: Arrest made in Mendota double murder

KMJN Radio 105.9 FM / 580 AM: Arrest Made in Mendota Double Murder

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