Rudy Ramirez Mendez was a 35-year-old Hispanic man described by his family as an awesome husband and father. Born in Hanford, California, he lived in Corcoran where he worked as a supervisor for Mid State Precast. He was a hard-working man who loved his wife, Angela, and their four children: Destiny Lozano, Matthew Mendez, Rudy Mendez Jr., and Rosie Mendez. In his free time, he enjoyed being with his family, helping people, and passionately rooting for the Minnesota Vikings.
On the evening of October 24, 2020, Mendez was outside his home on Dairy Avenue in Corcoran. At around 9:20 p.m., a dark vehicle approached, and a man got out and opened fire, shooting Mendez. The gunman then got back into the car, which drove away from the scene. Mendez was transported to a local hospital, but he died from his injuries.
The Corcoran Police Department launched an investigation into the homicide. The day after the shooting, detectives tracked a suspect to Fresno.
Law enforcement officers took 32-year-old Eddie Rosas into custody and booked him into the Kings County Jail. He was charged with several offenses, including murder, assault with a firearm, and a gang enhancement.
The case against Eddie Rosas was prosecuted by the Kings County District Attorney's Office. In June 2026, a jury found Rosas, then 38, guilty of first-degree murder for the death of Rudy Mendez. The jury also convicted him of assault with a firearm and carrying a loaded firearm in a public place. In addition, they found true the special allegation that Rosas personally and intentionally discharged a firearm, causing death. The court noted that Rosas had a prior strike conviction from 2007.
As of June 2026, following the jury's verdict, Eddie Rosas was awaiting sentencing for the murder.
