Two charged in Santa Rosa restaurant slaying plead not guilty

Two Santa Rosa teenagers pleaded not guilty Thursday to murder charges in a December slaying outside a popular nightspot.

Jose Campos-Mendoza, who is 17 but is being charged as an adult, and Alfonso Ramirez-Mendoza, 18, are accused of shooting Cristopher Medina, 23, outside El Puente cantina.

Both denied the charges, which include two counts each of attempted murder for shooting at other people and a count each of assault with a firearm.

Campos-Mendoza, the alleged shooter, is also charged with personal use of a firearm to kill Medina.

A third defendant, Daniel Calderon-Escobido, 23, of Petaluma, pleaded no contest last month to being an accessory and was sentenced to two years in jail.

The Dec. 3 shooting happened after a night of heavy drinking and an argument over someone dancing with Calderon-Escobido's girlfriend, according to a probation report.

At about 1:45 a.m., Campos-Mendoza got into a fistfight at a patio bar with Medina's cousin, Julian Loeza, 21, of Santa Rosa.

After several people broke it up, Campos-Mendoza and Calderon-Escobido walked to the parking lot and returned with a gun, the report said.

When security guard Paul Harris tried to take the gun, Campos-Mendoza started shooting, firing a bullet between Harris's legs and another that missed his head.

He then allegedly turned the gun on Medina and Loeza, hitting Medina five times and Loeza twice, the report said.

The men were arrested after fleeing on foot. Calderon-Escobido reportedly told police that Campos-Mendoza was the shooter.

Campos-Mendoza appeared Wednesday in an orange juvenile hall uniform. Ramirez-Mendoza is being housed in the county jail. Bail is denied for both men.

A gathering of friends and family of the victim were in court.

A preliminary hearing date is expected to be set March 19.

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