In the early hours of a summer morning in Saginaw, Michigan, a family cookout turned into a scene of tragedy, forever altering the lives of those present. Rafael “Rafa” Campos, a 24-year-old man, was fatally shot and killed on June 5, 2022. He was not the only victim of this senseless act of violence; his cousins, Laura Buendia, also 24, and Mariano Escareño, 24, were killed alongside him. The devastating event unfolded at a home in the 300 block of South 11th Street.
The gathering was at the home of Buendia's parents. An argument reportedly broke out between the sister of the suspect and another woman, leading to them being asked to leave. Shortly after, at approximately 2:30 a.m., Juan Manuel Mireles, a cousin to the victims, arrived at the residence with others and opened fire. Campos and Escareño were pronounced dead at the scene. Buendia, who was six months pregnant, was rushed to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. In a miraculous turn of events, doctors were able to deliver her baby, who survived.
In October 2022, Juan Manuel Mireles, then 49 years old, was arrested in connection with the triple homicide. He was initially charged with three counts of open murder and multiple firearm offenses. However, in a development that brought further anguish to the families of the victims, Mireles reached a plea deal with the Saginaw County Prosecutor's Office in November 2024. He pleaded no contest to one count of manslaughter and one count of using a firearm to commit a felony. A no-contest plea means that while Mireles did not admit guilt, he acknowledged that prosecutors had sufficient evidence for a conviction.
The plea agreement came with a sentencing guideline of three to eight years in prison. Having been incarcerated since his arrest in October 2022, the sentence could result in Mireles serving a significantly reduced amount of time. Mireles had a prior criminal history, having previously served time for pistol-whipping his ex-wife and shooting his brother in 2010. His probation for those offenses had ended in 2016. The sentencing for the deaths of his three cousins has not yet been scheduled.
