Two Oxnard Men Ordered To Stand Trial For Gang-Related Killing

Wednesday May 18, 2022

     A judge has ordered two Oxnard men to stand trial in connection with what prosecutors say was a gang-related shooting in El Rio that left one person dead.

     Deputies say that around 12:38 AM on January 11, 2020, they received a report of a shooting in that unincorporated area adjacent to Oxnard.

     When they arrived at the scene, they located 31-year-old Pete Mendez of Oxnard suffering from a gunshot wound.

     He was rushed to the hospital where he died.

     Detectives said that Mendez was in a vehicle traveling north on Alvarado Street when another vehicle pulled up and an occupant of that other vehicle fired shots at the vehicle carrying Mendez, fatally wounding him.

     Two months later, two Oxnard residents, Alfonso Islas and Fher Ortega were arrested and later charged with murder, attempted, murder, plus special gang-related allegations.

     At the time of the shooting, Islas was 25-years-old and Ortega was 19-years-old.

     Following a two-day preliminary hearing this week, both were ordered to stand trial on the charges.

     They remain in the Ventura County Jail with bail for Islas set at $3 million and $1.7 million for Ortega.

     They are due in court on June 1st to have a trial date set.