March 24, 2024 – Fond du Lac Co., WI –Â UPDATE: During the 24+ hours following this incident, deputies and detectives worked tirelessly to locate and arrest Lopez-Mendoza, and their perseverance paid off.
Investigative follow up led detectives to a private residence in rural Ozaukee County where it was believed the suspect may be hiding. Working in conjunction with the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Lopez-Mendoza was located and arrested a short distance from the residence at approximately 6 p.m. Saturday.
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He was turned over to Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s detectives and transported to the Fond du Lac County Jail where he is being held on a charge of first-degree attempted homicide.
Additional charges may follow. A delay in release of this information occurred because upon
capture of the suspect, it was learned the residence he was leaving might be involved in
additional criminal activity and a search warrant was obtained and served at that residence
overnight.
Lopez-Mendoza’s vehicle was located at a property in rural Calumet County and seized as
evidence for forensic processing in this criminal investigation.
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s
Office and the Calumet County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in apprehending this
dangerous suspect and locating the vehicle he fled in from the crime scene. A criminal
investigation spanning three counties consumes significant resources and the assistance of these agencies was a crucial component in the outcome of this investigation.
The victim remains hospitalized in serious but stable condition. Follow up investigation
continues and no further information will be released at this time.
Sheriff Ryan F. Waldschmidt
ORIGINAL RELEASE posted below
March 22, 2024 – Fond du Lac Co., Wi – On 03-22-2024, at 4:32 p.m., the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Communication Center received a 911 call reporting a female had been stabbed with a knife at a private residence on CTH K in the town of Fond du Lac.
The suspect, 50-year-old FERMIN TEODORO LOPEZ-MENDOZA, is believed to have fled the scene in a maroon colored 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, WI license plate AJD-9891 and was last seen northbound on CTH K approaching USH 45.
The rear window of the vehicle is partially or fully broken out. The victim was transported to a hospital by Fond du Lac Fire-Rescue for treatment of life-threatening injuries.
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s department is asking the public to be on the lookout for the vehicle listed above. If you see this vehicle or a vehicle matching this description, immediately call 911.
Do not attempt to make contact with the vehicle or occupant(s) inside, but rather report your observations to the 911 dispatcher. The victim is known to the suspect and this was not a random attack.
No further information is available at this time, and deputies and detectives continue to pursue leads and process the scene. The sheriff’s office was assisted at the scene by Fond du Lac Fire- Rescue, Town of Fond du Lac First Responders, and the Wisconsin State Patrol.
Sheriff Ryan F. Waldschmidt
