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Rockville Man Arrested in Murder for Hire Investigation

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 7, 2012


Detectives from the Montgomery County Police – Homicide/Sex Section and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Vice Section have been investigating a murder-for-hire scheme since February.  Yesterday, Montgomery County detectives arrested Daniel Alfaro Mendoza for planning the death of his wife and an acquaintance of his wife.



In February of 2012, MPD Vice Detectives from the 4th District contacted detectives of the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division and informed them of a plot to kill a Montgomery County resident. MPD detectives worked closely with the Montgomery County Police Major Crimes Division and provided credible information that Mendoza was attempting to hire someone to kill Mendoza’s wife, Ermosinda Saravia, and a friend of hers, Arturo Gamboa Yangali.  Preliminary investigation revealed that Saravia had a protective order against Mendoza effective October 2011 because he had threatened to kill her.

On March 5, a Montgomery County undercover officer made contact with Mendoza.  During their conversation, the officer related that he would be willing to kill both Saravia and Yangali for a monetary payment.  Mendoza instructed the officer to meet him on March 6 so he could identify Saravia.

On the morning of March 6, Mendoza met with the undercover officer again where he identified Saravia as she was on foot at the Twinbrook Metro Station.  During this time, Mendoza provided specific details on how he wanted the murder to occur. Mendoza also showed the officer where Saravia lived and stated he would pay the officer $200.00 and sign over the title of his vehicle as payment.

Mendoza told the officer that he would return to Honduras, his native country, when the murders were being carried out so he would not be a suspect.  Immediately after this March 6 meeting, Mendoza was arrested by police.

Daniel Alfaro Mendoza, age 48, of the 5900 block of Lemay Road in Rockville, has been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit murder and the attempted murder of Saravia. He is being held without bond and has bond review today at 1:00 p.m. in Rockville District Court.



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Release ID: 12-004
Media Contact: mcpnews 
Categories: press-releases