Man accused in fatal downtown McAllen shooting misses court after new arrest

Avan Ruben Mendoza

A 19-year-old Donna man accused of participating in a fatal shooting in downtown McAllen outside of a bar has a warrant for his arrest for failing to show up to a Tuesday court hearing.

Avan Ruben Mendoza, however, did not show up because he was being booked into the Hidalgo County Adult Detention Center after being arrested by San Juan police on charges of collision causing damage and possession of inhalant paraphernalia.

This is Mendoza’s second arrest after bailing out of the county jail on $176,000 in bonds on Feb. 3. He was also arrested on Oct. 1 for possession of a controlled substance.

Mendoza has pleaded not guilty to murder for the fatal Oct. 2, 2022 shooting of Ryan Michael Serna, 22, of Donna, near the No Manches Wey bar after Mendoza and six of his co-defendants had an altercation with the man.

McAllen police called a planned shooting at the time.

The other suspects include Joel Gonzalez, 21, Naila Reyes, 30, Alejandro Gomez, 20, Humberto Ojeda, 24, Viviana Gomez, 24, all of Donna, and 26-year-old Alamo resident Bryan Vasquez.

They have all pleaded not guilty for the murder of Serna, who died on Oct. 6, 2022.

The shooting happened in the 1600 block of Beaumont Street just before 2 a.m. However, the initial altercation happened at a bar located at 211 S. 17th Street, according to a news release.

At the time, police said a woman called authorities reporting that her boyfriend had been shot multiple times.

Probable cause affidavits indicate investigators believe that Alejandro Gomez, Gonzalez and Mendoza left their party to get a gun while the rest of the suspects waited at the bar to keep an eye on Serna.

TOP ROW: Joel Gonzalez, Naila Reyes and Alejandro Gomez BOTTOM ROW: Humberto Ojeda, Viviana Gomez and Bryan Vasquez

“Mr. Gomez, Mr. Gonzalez and Mr. Mendoza returned and waited for Mr. Serna to leave the bar and then followed him to the area where the shooting occurred,” an affidavit stated. “After reviewing surveillance video from the area it is clear that Mr. Gomez along with other individuals planned to commit an act of violence against Mr. Serna.”

Mendoza remains jailed on his new charges.

Alejandro Gomez also remains held on $500,000 in bonds while Gonzalez remains jailed on $752,000 in bonds. Reyes also remains incarcerated on a total of $321,000 in bonds.

Viviana Gomez and Bryan Vasquez, meanwhile, have since been released on $30,000 bonds while Ojeda is free on $150,000 in bonds.

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