Photo: Rafael Rivas
On Saturday May 11th of 2019, Mendota Police Officers were called to a home in the 200 block of Holmes Street about 6:15 PM to provide aid to a man who had stopped breathing.
Unfortunately, 35-year old John Rangel, had passed before help arrived and could not be revived. It was quickly apparent to officers that Rangel had been stabbed, as he displayed wounds indicating this was the case.
There was no suspect at the home when police arrived but they were looking for Rangel’s roommate, 37-year old Rafael Rivas.
While Fresno County Sheriff homicide detectives and the Crime Scene Unit were collecting evidence, the Mendota Police Department received an anonymous tip about Rivas’s whereabouts: Lolita and 6th Street. Police officers and deputies followed up with the tip and located Rivas who was subsequently arrested.
The motive for the stabbing and murder remains under investigation. Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to call Detective Mora at 559-600-8205, Sheriff’s Dispatch at 559-600-3111, or Crime Stoppers at 559- 498-7867. Calls can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.
Rivas is currently in custody at the Fresno County Jail where he faces a murder charge.
Photo from the FCSO
