Rafael Jose Pineda

Rafael Jose Pineda was a 22-year-old Hispanic man from Salinas, California, who had attended Marina High School. His life was cut short in a shooting on the evening of October 7, 2020.

The incident occurred in the parking lot of the Lucky Grocery Store on South Main Street in Salinas. An argument broke out between a group of people, which escalated to gunfire. During the confrontation, Rafael was shot and killed. A second person, a 26-year-old man, was also shot in the leg but survived his non-fatal injuries.

The Salinas Police Department began an investigation and identified the suspect as 26-year-old Samuel Mendoza. The day after the shooting, Mendoza turned himself in to police, accompanied by his attorney. His lawyer stated that Mendoza had acted in self-defense during the incident.

Mendoza was arrested and booked into the Monterey County Jail on charges of murder and attempted murder. At a court hearing on October 13, 2020, he pleaded not guilty to both charges. A judge set his bail at $1.35 million.

As of October 2020, the case was proceeding through the court system.