On July 20, 2023, at approximately 4:30 p.m., Visalia police officers responded to reports of a shooting on Rinaldi Street near Houston Avenue. Upon arrival, they discovered 46-year-old Umberto Mendoza, a member of the unhoused community, suffering from a gunshot wound. Mendoza was transported to a local hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
In the early hours of July 22, 2023, around 1:00 a.m., the Visalia Police Department's SWAT team executed a search warrant on North Elm Street, in close proximity to the initial crime scene. This operation led to the arrest of three individuals: 36-year-old Jeremy Tapleras, 19-year-old Nicholaus Saechao, and a 16-year-old male. All three were charged with Mendoza's murder. Tapleras and Saechao were booked into the Tulare County Pre-Trial Facility, while the juvenile was placed in the Juvenile Detention Facility.
The investigation into Mendoza's death is ongoing. Authorities have not publicly disclosed a motive for the shooting or the specific roles each suspect may have played. The Visalia Police Department continues to urge anyone with additional information to come forward to assist in bringing clarity and justice to this case.
