California man suspected of Newport fire at Knights Inn that led to one death
Calley Cederlof
For more than two months, detectives in Newport, Oregon have been searching for the person responsible for a hotel fire that led to a man's death at Knights Inn.
They say they found the suspected arsonist more than 800 miles south of the Pacific Northwest town — in Earlimart.
On Aug. 6, Newport first responders were called to a hotel after reports of a structure fire.
When they arrived, deputies found a man suffering in his hotel room with "critical" burns to his body. He later died from those injuries, deputies said.
Jonathon Leo Mendez Gonzalez from Earlimart was soon identified as a person of interest in the arson and homicide.
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Detectives in Newport reached out to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department for help.
Over the course of two months, Tulare County detectives helped Oregon detectives with the homicide investigation.
Through follow-up leads, Violent Crimes Unit detectives located Mendez Gonzalez in Earlimart. He was arrested and Oregon detectives interrogated him regarding the fire.
He was released shortly after.
On Oct. 4, Oregon detectives obtained a $2 million arrest warrant for Mendes Gonzalez and contacted Tulare County detectives for further help to arrest the man they say started the fire.
Detectives with the Tulare County sheriff’s Violent Crimes Unit and CATTCH Fugitive Apprehension Team found Mendez Gonzalez at an Earlimart home on Friday.
He was taken into custody on the arrest warrant.
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Gonzalez was transported and booked at the Adult Pretrial Facility and is currently awaiting transfer to Oregon, where he could face life in prison, if convicted.
Prosecutors filed charges of murder, first- and second-degree arson, first- and second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, assault in the third degree, criminal mischief, theft and reckless burning.
This case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to call Detective Kyle Kalender at 733-6211.
Anonymous information about this incident can be reported via email at tcso@tipnow.net, via text or voicemail at 725-4194 or through the Tipnow app for Android or Apple phones.