On February 27th, 2024 A preliminary open court hearing was held at the Merced County Superior Court in Merced, CA. 

The District Attorney called its witnesses to the stand to testify on details involving the case. Most of the witnesses on behalf of the DA were law enforcement officials.

The DA’s star witness was Angalee Mendoza who was arrested January of 2023 along with Lomeli but later released. 

There was also another witness who didn’t appear in court and had to be subpoenaed.

The defendant Braulio Gonzales Lomeli was brought into the courtroom wearing his protective custody jail house clothes and escorted to a table by a deputy to be sat down next to to his defense lawyer.

Mendoza would arrive to court being heavily escorted by law enforcement. While Mendoza was on the stand she would give contradicting testimony even though the investigative case documents show incriminating statements she gave when speaking with investigators. District attorney Silva wanted to present a one hour and forty-five minute video to be played of Mendoza with investigators when she was arrested in January of 2023. The defense quickly asked to approach the bench which resulted in the judge calling for a recess. 

When returning back to the courtroom only a minute of the one hour and forty-five minute video would be played. Mendoza would also tell the court after returning from recess that she was in fear of her safety therefore after her questioning on the stand she was escorted by law enforcement through the doors that only court officials and deputies have access to because of what she said. 

The DA would also call to the stand a digital forensic analyst who would testify that Lomeli at the time of Santanas death had a probation placed GPS ankle monitor on that logged his movements. Santanas cell phone revealed his GPS coordinates through a social media app which placed him at the same location, date and time of the defendant according to the forensic analyst. Mendoza also placed herself at the canal off of Marshall Rd and CA-33 according to one of her self described accounts of that night when speaking to investigators during interrogation.

Santanas GPS coordinates from his social media app would show when his device arrived at the canal off Marshall Rd and CA-33 after midnight August 22nd, 2022. It would be at least two hours before the GPS coordinates would have any activity again. Court documents show the device’s GPS coordinates of activity began again when showing movement for about 10-15 minutes from Marshall Rd and CA-33 to the Delta Mendota where shortly after the GPS location would go off line.

This would be the location where Santanas car would ultimately be found and recovered on October 28th, 2022.

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