Linda Marie Mendibles, a 70-year-old Native American woman, was found shot to death on the morning of October 20, 2021, at the corner of West 18th Street and South Frontage Road in Tucson, Arizona. Known affectionately as 'Mother Mary' on the streets, she had endured a difficult life, having been homeless for over 50 years. Her death occurred during a week noted as one of the most violent in Tucson's history.
The Tucson Police Department immediately launched an investigation into her
death. Officers who responded to a welfare check found Mendibles unresponsive with clear signs of gunshot trauma and she was pronounced dead at the scene. For months, detectives worked the case, conducting numerous interviews, analyzing forensic evidence, and serving multiple search warrants to identify a suspect.
In May 2022, the investigation led to the arrest of 17-year-old Fabian Kristyan Montiel. He was taken into custody on Tucson's Southside and charged with first-degree murder. Montiel was booked into the Pima County Jail with a bond set at $1 million. Authorities have stated that the killing appeared to be a senseless act of violence, as they do not believe Montiel and Mendibles knew each other, and robbery was quickly ruled out as a motive.
