A Juliaetta man faces up to 15 years in prison in connection to the death of another man earlier this year.
As part of a plea agreement with Latah County prosecutors, 26-year-old Jared Mendez on Monday pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for killing 48-year-old Christopher Vessells with a baseball bat.
Investigators say Vessels showed up at Mendez’s home late at night in April and Mendez was upset Vessells allegedly assaulted Mendez’s mother. Mendez told the court Monday he did not intend to hit Vessells in the head.
A forensic pathologist indicated Vessells’ head injuries were likely caused from a single bat strike and the back of his head probably fractured after it hit the ground.
Mendez will be sentenced in October. (Lewiston Tribune)
