Winnie Mendoza

On the morning of July 26, 2019, 21-year-old Winnie Mendoza was fatally shot outside her home in southwest Miami-Dade County. Authorities identified the suspect as her uncle by marriage, 44-year-old Stephen Fraser Myers, who was married to Mendoza's aunt. According to police reports, Myers and Mendoza had been engaged in a secret sexual relationship for approximately two years. ((https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/1-person-in-custody-after-woman-shot-to-death-in-driveway-of-sw-miami-dade-home/126684/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

On that day, Myers observed Mendoza driving home and decided to follow her. Upon her arrival, as Mendoza exited her vehicle, Myers confronted her with a firearm, demanding to know where she had been the previous night. An argument ensued, during which Myers shot Mendoza multiple times before fleeing the scene. ((https://wsvn.com/news/local/uncle-arrested-charged-with-murder-in-shooting-of-south-miami-dade-woman/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

After the shooting, Myers returned to his residence and confessed to his wife—Mendoza's aunt—that he had killed her niece. He then left the house but was later apprehended by police. During questioning, Myers provided a full confession and was subsequently charged with second-degree murder. He was booked into jail without bond. ((https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/man-questioned-shooting-death-southwest-miami-dade/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

Family members described Mendoza as a diligent young woman who worked as a pharmacy assistant and aspired to become a nurse. Her uncle, Angel Calderon, expressed disbelief and sorrow over the incident, emphasizing that she was a good person without bad habits. ((https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/man-questioned-shooting-death-southwest-miami-dade/?utm_source=chatgpt.com))

The tragic event left the family and community in shock, grappling with the loss of a young life and the unsettling circumstances surrounding her death.