A man accused of killing his estranged wife entered a guilty plea Monday, avoiding a trial that was set to begin this week. Roidan Durruthy Mendoza, 40, pleaded guilty to murder with the use of a deadly weapon in connection with the August 2023 death of Marillorky Tamayo Cruz.
Deputy District Attorney Corey Hallquist stated after court that prosecutors will seek a sentence of life without the possibility of parole. He explained that Durruthy Mendoza shot his wife because they were going through a divorce. The shooting occurred in front of two children, and Durruthy Mendoza also attempted to kill additional witnesses.
The plea was nearly derailed when Durruthy Mendoza contradicted himself and denied committing the shooting. Shortly after admitting to District Judge Michelle Leavitt that he had killed his wife, he said, “I didn’t shoot my wife,” through an interpreter. “That was an accident.”
Judge Leavitt responded sternly, “You understand I’m not going to accept your plea if you say that. That’s completely contrary to what you just said to me.” After consulting with his attorney, Durruthy Mendoza agreed to proceed with his guilty plea and reaffirmed that he had fatally shot his wife, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
There remains a chance that Durruthy Mendoza could still sabotage his plea deal if he changes his mind. Chief Deputy Special Public Defender Charles Cano informed the court that Durruthy Mendoza would also make an Alford guilty plea to nonsexual coercion in a separate case involving allegations of sexual assault and lewdness with a minor under the age of 14.
An Alford plea means the defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges that prosecutors have enough evidence to secure a conviction. Cano confirmed that the plea deal was contingent on Durruthy Mendoza agreeing to the plea in the other case. “If, for whatever reason, that falls apart, then everything falls apart,” Cano said.
In addition to the murder charge, Durruthy Mendoza had been indicted on multiple counts, including attempted murder, battery with a deadly weapon, assault, and child abuse.
Tamayo Cruz had gained custody of her daughters on the day of the shooting, according to an arrest report. Police alleged that Durruthy Mendoza entered the apartment where she was staying, kicked down a door to a room where she was hiding, and shot her three times. He then shot through a door, injuring her mother and brother-in-law.
Prosecutors and the defense will have the opportunity to argue about Durruthy Mendoza’s sentence, with sentencing scheduled for October 15.