Body found belongs to missing Morgan Hill woman, suspect arrested & in court as cause of death is revealed
The Morgan Hill Police Department said DiNapoli was last seen on the morning of June 29.
MORGAN HILL, Calif. — Martin Mendoza Jr., the person of interest in the slaying of Morgan Hill teen Marissa DiNapoli, was arrested Monday on suspicion of murder, Morgan Hill police confirmed.
Mendoza was detained Sunday in Imperial County, near the Mexico border, the sheriff's office there told JLR Monday morning.
He was arrested at the California-Mexico Border Crossing while trying to come back into the U.S. from Mexico.
“We had come up with an apprehension plan with our federal partners, so that if he did come back across, we would be ready for it,” said Mario Ramirez of the Morgan Hill Police Department.
Mendoza was on a no-bail hold at a facility in El Centro before he was arrested, authorities said.
Online records showed Mendoza was at the Santa Clara County Main Jail by Monday night.
He was in court on Tuesday. In court we also learned of Marissa DiNapoli’s cause of death, which prosecutors allege was being stabbed in the back 5 times.
DiNapoli was reported missing June 30. Her body was found two days later near Anderson Lake in Morgan Hill.
The investigation remains active and ongoing, police said. Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact Detective Kyle Tolentino at (669) 253-4962 or via email at kyle.tolentino@morganhill.ca.gov.