El Paso teacher pleads not guilty to murder

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Former MacArthur K-8 School teacher Matthew Mendoza has plead not guilty to murder. The 25-year-old attended an arraignment hearing June 21 and entered his plea then.

Sheriff deputies arrested Mendoza outside the campus in May. The murder charge stems from an August 2021 fight in East El Paso in which Mendoza is accused of beating up and killing a friend.

Officers found an unresponsive man in the driveway of a home. The man was taken to the hospital but was pronounced dead.

Police eventually located Mendoza, who had blood on his face. Mendoza also told police he had been in a fight with the victim.

Documents reveal that the argument began at Red Sands after three different men had a few beers.

The complainant reportedly began fighting with Mendoza, but the man was intoxicated and getting aggressive.

Due to his behavior, Mendoza left the area.

Shortly after Mendoza and another man headed to the defendant's home, but they noticed the complainant walking toward his home.

Mendoza and the complainant started fighting. The defendant eventually stopped fighting and went inside his home, leaving the complainant on the driveway.