On March 21, Mesa Police officers were called to a Mesa apartment complex near Southern Avenue and Dobson Road after receiving reports of a fight. When officers arrived at the apartment, they found signs of a struggle, including blood inside the apartment.
At that time, officers were concerned the missing apartment resident, Vanessa Mendoza, was either injured or possibly dead, However, now the 27-year-old woman has been arrested by police and booked into jail on charges of hindering prosecution and concealment of a dead body.
According to the police report, investigators discovered that a homicide had taken place at Mendoza’s apartment and they eventually discovered the 27-year-old woman and her boyfriend, Genaro Silva, at a Chandler home.
Mendoza refused to speak with police, however, Silva did not. He revealed to police that on March 15 he went to Mendoza’s apartment, found her with another man, 39-year-old Daniel Barraza Gomez, and then hit the man with a hammer many times, eventually killing him.
According to Silva’s tale, Sylvia Olivas and Christopher Alejo, came to the apartment later that day, and Alejo allegedly stole money from Gomez and helped roll Gomez’s body in bedding. The two men then removed the body from the apartment, placed it into a vehicle and then drove to a secluded area on the Salt River Pima Indian community. The body was then placed into a dry wash and set on fire.
Police were able to locate Gomez’s remains from the Indian Reservation.
Silva has been charged with one count of second degree murder in the death of Gomez. He has also been charged with hindering prosecution and concealment of a dead body.
Alejo has been charged with robbery, hindering prosecution and concealment of a dead body.
Olivas, who is the mother of Mendoza, was arrested and charged with concealment of a dead body.
Original story found here.
