Fargo Police have released updates on two ongoing investigations that began in the last several days.
Captain Matt Christensen says 42-year-old Brandon George was apprehended just outside Lincoln, Nebraska, in the homicide investigation into his mother Pamela Mendoza.
On September 28, Fargo Police were sent to Mendoza’s apartment where she lived with George in the 1800 block of 34th Street South in Fargo, and found her deceased. Brandon George and Mendoza’s grey 2014 Toyota Camry were missing.
"Our intelligence and analysis unit distributed a bulletin in the early hours of Tuesday morning, notifying other law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for the vehicle and for Mr. George, and to also enter the vehicle information into the National Crime Information Center database. The vehicles entered into that database would trigger automated license plate reader cameras in jurisdictions that utilize that technology, similar to stolen vehicles, or if they were to run the plate through their mobile data computers they would also get the hit that we were looking for that vehicle."
Christensen says the vehicle was located on Interstate 80 five hours later. He declined to say whether or not Flock cameras were used to identify it.
Two investigators are going to Nebraska now to interview George. Christensen says George faces charges related to fleeing police in Nebraska in addition to murder charges in North Dakota.
Christensen says the identities of two other individuals found deceased after an unrelated welfare check in Fargo on September 22 are still being withheld pending notification of next of kin. They were found in an apartment in the 3100 block of 44th Street South. After autopsies, no obvious causes of death of either individual can be determined. Christensen says toxicology reports may take weeks to come back.
He says it is believed the individuals were deceased for a few weeks before being found.
He says anyone with information about either case is encouraged to contact Fargo Police.
