Suspect arrested in Cannery Row garage shooting after capture in Mexico.

Jorge Luis Mendoza, 21, has been on the run since he was named the primary suspect in the shooting death of Monterey resident Raul Melendez, 28, on November 23, 2016, at the entrance to a Wave Street parking garage near Cannery Row.

That run came to an end on March 16, when Mendoza, a U.S. citizen, was arrested in Mexico by local authorities, according to a release from Lt. Ethan Andrews, Commander of the Monterey Peninsula Regional Violence and Narcotics Team.

Mendoza was transported back to California two days later and handed over to officials from the Monterey Police Department and PRVNT, Andrews said.

He was booked into Monterey County Jail on a charge of murder. Bail was set at $1.3 million.

At the start, police said they had no suspects in the murder of Melendez, who was found at around 1:40am the day before Thanksgiving suffering from gunshot wounds. 

Melendez attended an event on Nov. 22 at the Giant Artichoke on Cannery Row called “Turn it up Tuesday,” which the restaurant promoted on its Facebook page as having “killer specials.” Police said they believe a dispute between Melendez and Mendoza, a Salinas resident, was sparked at the event, leading up to the murder.

The police identified Mendoza, a validated gang member from Marina, as the sole suspect on Dec. 6. At the time Mendoza was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon. He was released from prison in May.

At the time police warned that Mendoza was armed and dangerous. Later they learned he fled to Mexico, and requested assistance from the United States Marshals Service in locating him.