Body Found At Moon Cemetery Identified As That Of Oralia Mendoza

by Roger Murphy
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MADISON COUNTY-On Wednesday, June 27 an update on the killings of 13-year-old Mariah Lopez and her grandmother Oralia Mendoza from Madison County Sheriff’s Office:

“Sheriff Blake Dorning announced today June 27, 2018 that the Madison County Sheriff’s Office has received notification from The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences that the remains located at Moon Cemetery on Cave Springs Road June 15, 2018 are those of Oralia Mendoza, H/F, 49yoa.

Positive identification was determined through dental records. The means and mechanism of death are multiple sharp force injury wounds. To revisit the time line of this case the following events took place beginning June 7, 2018. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to 100 block of Lemley Drive off of Cave Springs Road where farmers located the body of a female in the wood line on the property. A death investigation was initiated and the body was recovered by the Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit and Coroner, and then taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for autopsy and identification.

A press release was developed to seek public information in identifying the unknown female and additional information surrounding the circumstances of her death. Shortly thereafter a Hispanic Female came to our offices and told investigators she believed the unknown female was her daughter who had been missing along with her mother that is her daughter’s legal guardian.

Yoni Martinez-Aguilar

Information led investigators to the area off Johnson Rd and Squaw Valley. Several subjects were transported to Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division for interviews. The investigation continued daily and on June 14, 2018 in a press release it was announced that through dental records the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences positively identified the remains of the unknown female as Mariah Lopez, 13 yr. old who died due to what investigators believed to be by homicidal means. The press release also requested for anyone that may have information on her missing grandmother/guardian, Oralia Mendoza, who was believed to be endangered, to contact the Sheriff’s Office.

Also on June 14, key evidence was discovered, search warrants were executed, methamphetamine seized, interviews conducted and probable cause developed to arrest Yoni Martinez-Aguilar and Israel Palomino for Capital Murder of Lopez. Further information was gained as to the location of Mendoza and on daybreak of June 15, 2018 investigators responded to Moon Cemetery where remains were located. The remains were recovered by the Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit and the Coroner, and then taken to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for autopsy and identification.

Over the next days the investigation continued and on June 21, 2018 the arrestees were served additional warrants for Capital Murder in regard to Mendoza. Now that there has been identification of the second remains the following information is released. Lopez’s means and mechanism of death is due to sharp force injury about the area of the neck. The Sheriff’s Office is not prepared to announce the motivation of the murders at this time. The investigation continues with interviews of those close to the deceased and arrestees and any others that come forward with any additional information. It is not believed there are others involved however if details lead to another avenue the will be pursued.

Israel Palomino

We encourage anyone that may know anything of the activities of these persons leading up to early June to please contact the Sheriff’s Office at 256-533-8820 or 256-722-7181.

And finally in at least two media reports neighbors raised questions about a white van, male, female and child. Contact was established with that van and people early on they were eliminated from any involvement in these events.

Thanks to The Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Local Agencies and our Media Partners, all of whom were instrumental into the investigation that led to the arrest of these two murder suspects.”

Previous article HERE on remains found at Moon Cemetery

Previus article on death of Mariah Lopez HERE

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