Paul William Mendoza was 39 years old when he died on Monday, April 3, 2006, in Pomona. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, he died of stab wounds at Holt Boulevard and the 71 Freeway. His death was ruled a homicide, and it is listed as a Pomona Police Department case.
The Los Angeles Times Homicide Report described him as "a 39-year-old white male" who "died Monday, April 3, after being stabbed in Pomona." The location given in the record is an intersection rather than a street address, which suggests that he may have been found outdoors, near the roadway, though the record does not say so.
A short paid obituary published in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune in April 2006 fills in a little of his life. It said that "Paul Mendoza passed away on 4/3/06. He was 39 years old. Born 11/24/66 in El Monte, California."
It said that he was "survived and missed by his mother, Dorothy Moran and his sister Paula Phillips and all of the McTarsney family," and it closed with the line, "Although out of our sights he will never be forgotten in our hearts." A viewing and service were held on Tuesday, April 11, 2006, at the Addleman Mortuary Chapel in El Monte. A list of Pomona homicides compiled by a community group and posted on Facebook also includes his name, his age and the word "Stabbed."
Beyond those few lines, the public record is silent. No news story about his death could be found. Nothing that has been released says whether he was attacked by a stranger or by someone he knew, whether there was an argument or a robbery, or whether anyone saw what happened. Nothing says what time of day he was hurt, whether he died at the scene or at a hospital, or whether detectives ever identified a suspect. Paul Mendoza is a very common name, and searches turn up many other men who share it, including people in Texas, Indiana and Northern California, none of whom can be connected to this death.
Pomona is one of the larger cities in the eastern part of Los Angeles County, near the border with San Bernardino County. It is home to the Fairplex, where the Los Angeles County Fair is held, and to Cal Poly Pomona. Holt Boulevard is one of the city's main east-west corridors, lined with motels, auto shops, small businesses and apartment buildings. The 71 Freeway, also known as the Chino Valley Freeway, runs north and south through the western part of the city, and the area where it meets Holt Boulevard carries steady traffic at most hours.
Hundreds of people are killed in Los Angeles County every year, and a large share of those killings end without an arrest.
No arrest, criminal charge or court case connected to the death of Paul William Mendoza could be found in news archives or public records. More than 19 years later, there is no public sign that anyone has been held responsible. Anyone who was near Holt Boulevard and the 71 Freeway in Pomona in early April 2006, or who knew Paul Mendoza and spent time with him before his death, may hold information that could help. Even a small detail, such as a name overheard, a vehicle seen nearby or a conversation remembered, can help detectives move a case forward. Anyone with information can contact the Pomona Police Department, or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
