In the late summer of 2023, a family dispute turned deadly on a porch in Hammond, Indiana, leaving a father dead and his son facing a murder charge. The victim was identified as Delwin McCloud Jr., a 42-year-old male. The events that culminated in this tragedy began earlier in the day on August 20th at a motorcycle club picnic in Zion, Illinois. McCloud, his son Jaylan “JJ” Mendoza, who was 21 at the time, and a woman had been drinking for several hours when an argument erupted between
father and son over Mendoza's drinking. The confrontation escalated into a physical fight.
Following the altercation, McCloud and the woman left Mendoza at the picnic and returned to McCloud's home in the 3800 block of 176th Place in Hammond. Mendoza later got a ride to his grandmother's house in Chicago, and she then drove him to his father's residence so he could collect his belongings. As his grandmother drove away, she heard arguing followed by gunshots. Witnesses reported hearing the argument before the sound of gunfire erupted. One witness saw Mendoza standing over his father, exclaiming, “Aww, Dad,” before fleeing the scene.
Video footage from the scene reportedly showed Mendoza arriving at the residence with a gun visible in his waistband. He knocked on the door, and when his father answered, an argument ensued over his belongings. McCloud told him his things were right there for him to get. The verbal exchange quickly escalated, and gunshots were fired. Hammond police responded to reports of a homicide and found McCloud shot multiple times. He had sustained gunshot wounds to both legs, his right forearm, and his chest. Investigators recovered eight bullet casings at the scene.
Jaylan Mendoza was subsequently arrested and charged with the murder of his father, Delwin McCloud Jr. During his initial court appearance, a public defender was appointed to represent him. The case was set to be heard before a judge in early September of that year.
