Coachella man accused in stabbing death of ex-girlfriend to stand trial for murder

A man accused of repeatedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend outside her Coachella home after she broke up with him must stand trial on a murder charge, a judge ruled today.

Carlos Antonio Mendoza, 38, of Coachella, is charged with killing 31-year-old Cecilia Silva, who was found lying in the driveway of her home in the 52700 block of Calle Empalme at 6:25 a.m. on March 20, 2016.

Mendoza faces a special circumstance allegation of lying in wait, making him eligible for the death penalty if convicted of Silva’s murder. Prosecutors have yet to decide whether to pursue capital punishment.

Sheriff’s homicide investigator Daniel Moody testified that Silva was stabbed “at least 15 times” and was found lying face-down in a pool of blood. A friend of the victim told investigators that Silva and Mendoza had been dating, but Silva said Mendoza was “suffocating her.”

Following Silva’s death, Mendoza checked himself into Canyon Ridge Hospital in Chino.

District attorney’s investigator Sean Freeman testified that after Silva’s DNA was found on some of the defendant’s clothes at the hospital and he failed multiple psychological tests aimed at measuring his potential mental impairment, Mendoza admitted to the killing.

Freeman testified that Mendoza said he waited for Silva to return home from work, then donned all-dark clothing, including a mask, patterned after the comic book character “Bane,” and stabbed Silva with a “large bowie knife.”

According to Freeman, the defendant said he threw the knife into a La Quinta canal, where it was later recovered by investigators.

Mendoza remains in custody without bail and will return to court April 7 for a post-preliminary hearing arraignment.

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