Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1923-02-16
.MENDEZ. CASAREZ
MUST ANSWER TO
CHARGE in COURT
Man Who Cut Own Throat
Indicted in One of
Worst Murders
END LONG HEARING
Children Identify One
Charged in Case by
"Red Sweater"

Alvino Mendez and Mariana Ca
sarez today stand indicted by the
grand jury Of Imperial County for
the murder of Mike Fornasero at
Mc'oland on January 2, a joint in
dictmen tagairst the men having
been returned by the grand jury
shortly after 5 o'clock last night,
after many days deliberation over
the evidence and testimony present
cd to them by the district attorneys
office.
Mendez, one of the first to be ar
rested in connection with the death
of Fornasero, was to be given
hearing in. the superior court this
afternoon on habeas corpus pro-
ceedings brought by his attorney,
Wilbur w Randall. however, the
action of the grand jury in return
ing an indictment against him prac-
tically nullifies the habeas corpus
proceedings. a
Tried Suicide
Following his arrest early in Jan
uary, Mendez attempted suicide by
cutting his throat with a razor
blade, and for several days his life
was despaired of. About that time
he made Il statement to Sheriff Gil
lett, accusing Jim Ortcga of com
plicity in Fornasero death, and
swore to a warrant charging him
with murder. After being held in
Jail for several weeks, Ortega was
later cleared of any completely in
the case and the charges against
him were dismissed on the motion
of District Attorney Ernest r.
Utley.
Subsequent to this action, Mendez
refused to talk, and in the succeed
ing weeks all efforts to get him to
ing. He has partaken of little food
and refuses to have anything to do
with anyone.
Casarez was arrested about two
weeks ago by Sheriff Gillett, follow
ing a trip to the border. Casarez
was known to be in Mexicali and it
was necessary to resort to q trick
to get him on this side so he could
be placed under arrest. An investi-
gator from the district attorney s
office crossed into Mexieali and en-
gagged Casarez in conversation, They
drifted into u saloon and there met
Frank Crane, Calexieo constable,
who Offered them work on this side
of the line. Both the investigator
and Casarez consented to go to work
and immediately after crossing the
limo fhny h.v Ghn,sfx
Gillett, Casarez never suspecting
that he had been led into trap
by the Investigator. 4,
Children Mention Mariana
Since Il few days after the muir
der of Fornasero, his three children,
who were brutally beaten at the
same time, have mentioned "Mari-
ano' as being one of the men who
killed their father When Mrs. For
nasero, who was nearly murdered
by the slayers of her husband was
able to talk after several weeks of
Inconsistencies, she also mentioned
- Mariana, and told the officers
he had on Il. red sweater, and large
hat the night of the murder.
The murder of FOrnasero and sub
s"onent attack on the rest of his
family, was one of the most brutal
tragedies in the history of Imperial
County. 1t occurred on the evening
of January 2, though was not dis
covered until the morning of the
fourth. When the details of the
crime became known, feeling against
the murderers WAS excessive and
talk of lynehing them was frequent
ly heard.
Officers in Hard Job
Due to the length of time elapsing
between commission of crime and its
discovery, and because of the eondi-
tion of Mrs. Fornasero and the three
children for many weeks following
the crime, the work of rounding up
the slayers has been an exceedingly
difficult one.
Several other men have been held
at the Jail for various lengths of
time for investigation in connection
with the case, and the action Of the
grand jury in bringing in the in.
dictments against Mendez aud Ca.
sarez means That their trial will un-
doubtedly bring out much that has
had to be hidden while efforts were
being made to land the nufderers.