Delwin McCloud Jr

Delwin McCloud Jr., a 42-year-old Black/African American man remembered by friends as a "wonderful individual" and "one of a kind," was a father whose life was cut short during a late-night confrontation with his own son on a porch in Hammond, Indiana.

The tragedy unfolded in the early hours of August 20, 2023, but its roots began hours earlier at a motorcycle club picnic in Zion, Illinois. There, McCloud and his 21-year-old son, Jaylan “JJ” Mendoza, had been drinking for several hours with a woman. An argument between the two men over Mendoza’s drinking escalated into a physical fight. Afterward, McCloud and the woman left Mendoza at the picnic and returned to McCloud’s home in the 3800 block of 176th Place in Hammond. Mendoza later got a ride to his grandmother’s house in Chicago, and she then drove him to his father’s residence to retrieve his belongings.

As his grandmother drove away, she heard arguing followed by gunshots. Home surveillance video reportedly showed Mendoza arriving on the stoop with a gun visible in his waistband. After he knocked, McCloud came to the door and an argument began over Mendoza’s things. “Where my stuff at,” Mendoza asked. “It’s right there, go get it,” McCloud replied. The exchange escalated, and then shots were fired. A witness reported seeing Mendoza standing over his father, exclaiming, “Aww, Dad,” before running from the scene.

Hammond police responded to a call around 2:40 a.m. and found Delwin McCloud Jr. on the front porch. He had been shot multiple times, with wounds to his chest, right forearm, and both legs. Investigators recovered eight bullet casings at the scene.

Jaylan Mendoza later turned himself in to police and was charged with murder. His defense attorneys noted that when he surrendered, he had a black eye and scratches on his neck, which they argued were signs of a struggle. Mendoza pleaded not guilty, claiming he had acted in self-defense. His lawyers stated McCloud had threatened him earlier that day and lunged at him on the porch just before the shooting.

In October 2023, Mendoza was granted bail after his defense counsel argued that the home surveillance video had “critical gaps and omissions” and may have been altered, cutting off just before the alleged attack by McCloud. Mendoza’s murder trial eventually began, but it came to an abrupt halt in July 2025 when the judge declared a mistrial. The decision was made after it was discovered that a sworn Illinois police officer had been improperly seated on the jury.

As of July 2025, the case was awaiting a new trial, which was scheduled to begin on September 29, 2025.