Fond du Lac domestic violence stabbing, man sentenced to prison
Fermin Lopez-Mendoza
FOND DU LAC, Wis. - A man from Mexico, who investigators said was in the U.S. illegally, was sentenced to prison on Tuesday for a stabbing that happened in Fond du Lac.
In Court:
Fermin Lopez-Mendoza, 51, pleaded no contest last year to attempted first-degree intentional homicide, and additional felonies were dismissed. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison and 10 years of extended supervision.
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Fond du Lac County District Attorney said Lopez-Mendoza is subject to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer and is expected to be deported when he concludes his sentence.
The backstory:
The stabbing happened on March 22, 2024. Deputies were called to a home near Highway K, where a criminal complaint states it was reported that a woman had been stabbed in the stomach. The caller said the woman was barely conscious, and the suspect had fled the scene.
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When deputies arrived, they found the victim on the living room floor with three cuts to the abdomen.
A witness told investigators he was in the basement of the home when he heard the victim and Lopez-Mendoza fighting. The witness said he became concerned when he heard the victim yell "help me." The witness claims he went upstairs and saw Lopez-Mendoza with a knife, covered in blood. The witness claimed Lopez-Mendoza then entered his vehicle and left the scene.
During an interview with detectives, the victim stated an argument led to Lopez-Mendoza stabbing her. She told investigators Lopez-Mendoza grabbed a serrated knife and held it against her throat before stabbing her.
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The victim claimed there was an extensive history of domestic violence with Lopez-Mendoza. According to the criminal complaint, Lopez-Mendoza had previously said he would "end her life" if she left him.
Lopez-Mendoza was taken into custody on March 23, 2024 during a traffic stop in Ozaukee County.
The complaint indicated there was no known prior record of Lopez-Mendoza, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed to the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office that he was illegally in the country.
The Source: Information in this report is from the Fond du Lac County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.