On August 10, 2023, at about 11:36 a.m. deputies responded to reports of gunfire near the 16500 block of Bloss Avenue in Delhi, California. Investigators found 58-year-old Martha Mendoza dead from gunshot wounds.

Detectives identified 26-year-old Ricardo Garcia Jr. of Delhi as the primary suspect. That evening a search warrant was executed at a Darlington Street residence and Garcia was taken into custody without incident; he was booked into Merced County Jail on murder charges. The relationship between Mendoza and Garcia and any motive have not been disclosed. Neighbors said they were shocked and saddened, and community members have left memorial candles online in Mendoza’s memory.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Bureau at 209.385.7472; tips may be anonymous. Did anyone in the area know Mendoza or have information about her last movements?