Women's Hoops Blog

Inane commentary on a game that deserves far better


Monday, March 31, 2003

One very sad story off the court today -- three brothers of Washington players Giuliana and Gioconda Mendiola have been indicted in a drug-related murder. Giovanni Mendiola has been accused of killing Brendan Butler, whose body was found in a campground on November 13.

The Mendiola brothers were apparently arrested in Southern California. Officials have begun proceedings to extradite them to Idaho. A defense lawyer said that the defendants plan to fight extradition.

Update: an additional note from the LA Times article on the arrests: "The Mendiola brothers are part of a large family well-known in Orange County high school circles for their raucous support of their sisters' teams. At one point, El Toro High School created a fans code of conduct to rein in the family."