On the night of December 14, 2020, 18-year-old Lisandro Mendez was tragically killed in Modesto, California. The incident occurred around 10:20 p.m. at his home on Larkin Avenue, where Mendez was with his two younger brothers in their garage-turned-bedroom. Darren Womack, a 24-year-old Modesto resident, forcibly entered the room carrying a loaded firearm. A struggle ensued between Mendez and Womack, during which the gun discharged, wounding Womack in the hip.
Despite being injured, Womack overpowered Mendez and fatally shot him in the back. Mendez was transported to a local hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Following the shooting, Womack fled the scene, leaving behind a crashed vehicle near Oregon Drive and Thrasher Avenue. Blood evidence was found inside and outside the vehicle, linking Womack to the crime. Surveillance footage captured him fleeing the vehicle after crashing into a wooden fence. Womack was apprehended shortly after he sought medical treatment for his gunshot wound at Doctor's Medical Center. At the time of the murder, Womack was on parole for a 2017 robbery and had been released from prison just four months prior.
The investigation into Mendez's death led to Womack being charged with murder, burglary, and gun enhancement. He was convicted in April 2022 for the murder of Lisandro Mendez during the home burglary. The Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office confirmed that Womack was also convicted of residential burglary with enhancements for the personal use of a firearm. Womack faces a sentence of 102 years to life in prison, with his sentencing date set for April 15, 2022. This case highlights the tragic consequences of violent crime and the impact it has on the victims' families and communities.
