FOX 4 WFTX - Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples News, WeatherGuilty verdict for Juan Mendez
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A jury found Juan Mendez guilty of killing his estranged wife and mother-in-law. The killings happened back in 2006 in Lehigh Acres. After just one hour of deliberating, the jury found Mendez guilty of two counts of second degree murder.
For one family, the guilty verdict was a sign of justice.
"I wanted to jump and scream for joy, just let my emotions out," said John Carlson, a relative of the two victims.
Juan Mendez's family says they're in shock.
"My son is a good boy, he's not capable of murder," said Gwen Mendez, Juan's Mom.
Sgt. Bill Kalstrom was at the scene when the gruesome discovery was made. Whitney Mendez and Lorena Stone were inside a Lehigh Acres home, murdered.
"It was a horrific attack, it was brutal and vicious," said Kalstrom.
Whitney's young son was outside, sitting in his high chair. Now that young boy is growing up without a mom and grandmother. His father, Juan Mendez was just convicted of killing them.
Mendez's family claims the jury was wrong.
"How much my brother loves his kids, man I know he would never do that," said Wilbert Brown, Juan's brother.
Chief Assistant State Attorney Randall McGruther explains the trial's outcome is bittersweet.
"Obviously we're pleased with the verdict today but there's still a young boy that doesn't have a mother and now doesn't have a father," said McGruther.
Whitney and Juan's son was merely a toddler when the murders happened. Now he's five and in protective custody.
"He's too young to know what's going on so we're not going to tell him anything about what's going on," said John Carlson. Carlson says someday he'll tell him what happened. "Whenever he maybe reaches 18 or something like that, yeah we'll let him know what happened but until then he doesn't need to grow up with that grief in his life."
Mendez's sentencing is scheduled for February 22nd.
MARISA MENDELSON
mmendelson@fox4now.com
