AMARILLO POLICE DEPARTMENT
MEDIA/PUBLIC RELEASE
DATE: June 11, 2024
TIME:
CASE NUMBER: 24-509326
INCIDENT TYPE: Delayed Homicide
OFFICER SUBMITTING RELEASE: Lt. James Clements-Homicide Commander; Sgt. Carla Burr-PIO
DETAILS: On June 5, 2024, at 11:29pm, officers were called to the Georgia Street Taphouse on a male causing a disturbance and refusing to leave. While officers were enroute, more information came in that one male had assaulted another male, causing life threatening injuries, in the parking lot and they were requesting an ambulance. The suspect fled the scene. The male victim was transported to an area hospital and later to Lubbock due to the severity of his injuries. In the early morning hours of June 10, the victim, Joe Luis Gonzales, age 58, died from his injuries. APD Homicide took over the investigation. A warrant for murder was issued for the suspect in this case, Joel Arellano Mendez, JR, age 21. On June 11, Mendez Jr was arrested and booked into the Potter County Jail on the murder warrant. This case is still under investigation by the APD Homicide Unit.
