Trial underway over fatal shooting last year at gas station
Question whether incident was justifiable homicide.
Updated
Defendant Eriberto Mendoza (left) confers with legal counsel Friday morning during his trial in Grant County Superior Court. Photo by Randy Bracht
EPHRATA — Testimony was underway this morning (Friday, Sept. 18) in Grant County Superior Court where an Ephrata man is on trial for a fatal shooting at a local gas station last summer.
Eriberto Mendoza, 31, has pled not guilty to a charge of second-degree murder for the death of 30-year-old Daniel Alcala, also of Ephrata, following a confrontation on the evening of July 20, 2025 at the Hawk Fuel convenience store on North Basin Street.
The incident was investigated by Ephrata police and Grant County sheriff’s deputies.
Mendoza and his brother, Juan, were at the store when Alcala coincidentally arrived at the location with his family.
Juan Mendoza had been dating Alcala’s sister but the couple, who have two children together, were estranged at the time after a recent argument, according to authorities.
Video footage obtained from the store showed Juan Mendoza in the passenger seat of a pickup parked at one of the gas pumps. Daniel Alcala is seen walking up to the vehicle and talking to Juan Mendoza through an open window and shaking hands. But then a verbal argument appears to ensue, and Alcala is seen opening the door and punching Mendoza, who is still seated inside the truck, according to police reports.
Eriberto Mendoza was inside the store at the time, but is seen rushing outside, producing a handgun, and shooting Alcala in the back, the reports state. Alcala retreats to the rear of the truck, then collapses to the ground. Eriberto Mendoza then gets in the driver’s seat of the truck and leaves with his brother, who also sustained a gunshot wound to his leg and was treated at Columbia Basin Hospital.
Daniel Alcala was pronounced dead at the scene. Later that evening, authorities contacted Eriberto Mendoza at a rural residence in the 12700 block of Road A-NW where he was taken into custody without incident. A Glock 9mm handgun found on his person was collected as evidence.
Eriberto Mendoza declined to talk to investigators and requested a lawyer. Juan Mendoza only said that “Eriberto had defended him” when questioned by a sheriff’s detective, reports said.
Superior Court Judge Melissa Chlarson is presiding over the trial, which began Wednesday with jury selection and is expected to continue five to seven days.
Eriberto Mendoza, who has been jailed in lieu of $75,000 bail since his arrest, is represented by Spokane attorney Senit Lutgen. The state’s case is being presented by county deputy prosecutor Cole Deaver.
Jurors may be asked to consider whether the shooting was a justifiable homicide, in which the slayer believed the slain person intended to inflict death or great personal injury to another individual.
Investigators say Alcala did not appear to have any weapons and was using his hands to punch Juan Mendoza. They also allege that Eriberto Mendoza did not appear to give any warning or attempt to separate Alcala from his brother before shooting.
“The shooting of Daniel does not appear to be reasonable,” wrote sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Kyle Cox in his July 21, 2025 report.
In pretrial documents, Deaver said the state’s charge of second-degree murder will also include alternative lesser charges of first-degree assault and first-degree manslaughter, all with a firearm enhancement.
Under state sentencing guidelines, a conviction of second-degree murder carries a standard prison term of 12 to 20 years. A firearm enhancement can add another five years.
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Trial underway over fatal shooting last year at gas station
Question whether incident was justifiable homicide.
EPHRATA — Testimony was underway this morning (Friday, Sept. 18) in Grant County Superior Court where an Ephrata man is on trial for a fatal shooting at a local gas station last summer.
Eriberto Mendoza, 31, has pled not guilty to a charge of second-degree murder for the death of 30-year-old Daniel Alcala, also of Ephrata, following a confrontation on the evening of July 20, 2025 at the Hawk Fuel convenience store on North Basin Street.
The incident was investigated by Ephrata police and Grant County sheriff’s deputies.
Mendoza and his brother, Juan, were at the store when Alcala coincidentally arrived at the location with his family.
Juan Mendoza had been dating Alcala’s sister but the couple, who have two children together, were estranged at the time after a recent argument, according to authorities.
Video footage obtained from the store showed Juan Mendoza in the passenger seat of a pickup parked at one of the gas pumps. Daniel Alcala is seen walking up to the vehicle and talking to Juan Mendoza through an open window and shaking hands. But then a verbal argument appears to ensue, and Alcala is seen opening the door and punching Mendoza, who is still seated inside the truck, according to police reports.
Eriberto Mendoza was inside the store at the time, but is seen rushing outside, producing a handgun, and shooting Alcala in the back, the reports state. Alcala retreats to the rear of the truck, then collapses to the ground. Eriberto Mendoza then gets in the driver’s seat of the truck and leaves with his brother, who also sustained a gunshot wound to his leg and was treated at Columbia Basin Hospital.
Daniel Alcala was pronounced dead at the scene. Later that evening, authorities contacted Eriberto Mendoza at a rural residence in the 12700 block of Road A-NW where he was taken into custody without incident. A Glock 9mm handgun found on his person was collected as evidence.
Eriberto Mendoza declined to talk to investigators and requested a lawyer. Juan Mendoza only said that “Eriberto had defended him” when questioned by a sheriff’s detective, reports said.
Superior Court Judge Melissa Chlarson is presiding over the trial, which began Wednesday with jury selection and is expected to continue five to seven days.
Eriberto Mendoza, who has been jailed in lieu of $75,000 bail since his arrest, is represented by Spokane attorney Senit Lutgen. The state’s case is being presented by county deputy prosecutor Cole Deaver.
Jurors may be asked to consider whether the shooting was a justifiable homicide, in which the slayer believed the slain person intended to inflict death or great personal injury to another individual.
Investigators say Alcala did not appear to have any weapons and was using his hands to punch Juan Mendoza. They also allege that Eriberto Mendoza did not appear to give any warning or attempt to separate Alcala from his brother before shooting.
“The shooting of Daniel does not appear to be reasonable,” wrote sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Kyle Cox in his July 21, 2025 report.
In pretrial documents, Deaver said the state’s charge of second-degree murder will also include alternative lesser charges of first-degree assault and first-degree manslaughter, all with a firearm enhancement.
Under state sentencing guidelines, a conviction of second-degree murder carries a standard prison term of 12 to 20 years. A firearm enhancement can add another five years.