This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Posted: 3:43 PM- Five days after Diego Mendoza was shot to death outside a Sears store by a pair of unknown gunman, family and friends gathered to say goodbye today to the 16-year-old they described as an easy-going teenager who was happiest spending time with family.
Mendoza's funeral at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Salt Lake City drew dozens of people. Many wore white T-shirts with a photo taken over the holidays of a smiling Mendoza wearing a Los Angeles Raiders Santa hat. The shirts read "RIP" and "In loving memory of Diego Mendoza."
Mendoza's grandmother, Isabel Sanchez, and older brother, Joel, cried as pallbearers lowered the teenager's coffin from a hearse at Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery. His mother, Antonia Resendez, comforted Mendoza's younger siblings as prayers and scripture passages were read at his grave.
Two of Mendoza's friends, Carlos Valerio, 18, and Xavier Lopez, 17, said after the funeral that they can't believe their friend is gone.
"That's my friend in there," Valerio said, shaking his head while staring at Mendoza's coffin, covered with white roses and carnations. He said he and Mendoza spent lots of time together "just hanging out."
Lopez recalled his friend's fondness for chimichangas and pizza and said Mendoza was rarely without a smile.
"He was always happy," Lopez said. "He wasn't a troublemaker."
Police have released few new details about Mendoza's death and have not officially identified the teenager as the victim in Sunday's shooting.
Media learned Mendoza's identity through his friends, family and administrators at Granger High School, where the teenager was registered as a sophomore.
Police have said that Mendoza, Eder Orona, 23, and a third man had pulled into the parking lot of Sears, 754 S. State St., on Sunday in a maroon sport utility vehicle just before 5 p.m. A white four-door sedan pulled up nearby. Two men armed with pistols got out of the second car, walked up to the SUV and opened fire on Mendoza and Orona, who were found outside the SUV, police said.
Mendoza was shot in the head and found dead at the scene. Orona was shot four times in the chest; he was able to speak to responders at the scene and was taken to the hospital in critical condition, police said.
The third occupant of the SUV ran into Sears to call for help and was uninjured.
A woman believed to be the getaway driver of the car driving the shooters was arrested on Tuesday on one charge of obstruction of justice in a homicide investigation, a second degree felony.
Michelle Ramirez, 21, hasn't cooperated with police to tell them who was in the car with her, said Jeff Bedard a police spokesman. Police and FBI officials gained information that led them to the car and Ramirez during, he said.
When contacted by authorities, Ramirez admitted to owning the vehicle, but refused to divulge the identities and circumstances as to lending the vehicle, according to a booking probable cause statement.
"She changed her story multiple times after being confronted with known facts," police wrote in the statement.
A memorial fund is set up in Antonia Resendez's name at Washington Mutual Bank for those wishing to make donations for Mendoza's funeral expenses.
mrogers@sltrib.com" Target="_BLANK">mrogers@sltrib.com