On April 16, 2023, at approximately 6:30 a.m., Mendota Police officers responded to reports of an injured person at an apartment complex on Oller Street, between Fourth and Fifth Streets, in Mendota, California. Upon arrival, officers discovered 40-year-old Danny Ramirez, also known as Dennis Rodriguez, lying in a carport with traumatic injuries. Ramirez, who was experiencing homelessness in the Mendota area, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Fresno County Sheriff's Office Homicide Unit took over the investigation. Through forensic analysis, crime scene technicians recovered a fingerprint at the scene, leading to the identification of 22-year-old Mendota resident, Masael Rivas Reyes, as a suspect. Authorities noted that Ramirez and Reyes were well acquainted.
On April 21, 2023, detectives arrested Reyes, who was subsequently booked into the Fresno County Jail on a murder charge, with bail set at $1 million. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have urged anyone with additional information to contact Detective Jess Gloria at (559) 600-8217 or Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867.
