Update 1982 murder of Barbara Mendez

On April 28, 1982, Barbara Mendez (Feb 21, 1949 – April 28, 1982) was found bludgeoned to death inside the Park City Credit Union (Minocqua, Wisconsin).

Barbara’s case went cold but in 2018, husband Robin D. Mendez, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. The couple have two daughters, Dawn Mendez Shape and Christy Mendez Wadas.

Robin Mendez pleaded not guilty to his wife’s murder in April 2018 and said he has an alibi. He waived his jury trial this week and will receive a trial by judge. His jury trial is scheduled for April 8, 2019.

On Dec 13, 2018 parties were in court to discuss a very interesting detail in Barbara’s murder: motive.

Acknowledged by the defense, Robin Mendez had an affair with a 15-year-old teenager. “The affair began in the summer of 1981 and ended in the fall of 1982. Nothing stopped it from happening, even the murder.”

Both parties argued why the affair should or should not be allowed as evidence during trial. Judge Jill Falstad decided to allow it as it goes back to intent.

Now unless I don’t understand this correctly, we have an adult male who had an affair with a 15-year old teenager in Wisconsin where the age of consent is eighteen. I do not know what exactly happened between these two during the affair but it seems that this adult married man has a lot to answer for.

As links tend to break and newspaper articles tend to be taken down I made a screenshot to keep this.

Barbara Mendez (32) was found dead inside the Park City Credit Union (Hwy. 51, Minocqua). There were 17 blows to her head.

The forensic aspects of this case are interesting as well. I will post more about that as we get more details.

UPDATE: I just found this article that states: “Robin D. Mendez had sexual intercourse with the teenage girl in his bed the night after Barbara Mendez, 34, was found bludgeoned to death at the credit union where she worked on April 28, 1982, said a criminal complaint filed in Oneida County Circuit Court.” You can find that quote here.

Mendez is being held in the Oneida County Jail on $250,000 bond. Trial is scheduled for April 8, 2019.

Rest in peace, Barbara.