Just days after being granted mental health diversion in a California courtroom, a Napa man with a record of ignoring court orders is now facing murder charges in the brutal killing of another man.
Key Facts:
- Ramiro Ochoa Mendoza, 36, was charged with murder on July 11, 2025, for allegedly killing 47-year-old Noel Batres in Napa, California.
- Mendoza had been previously declared mentally incompetent to stand trial for misdemeanor charges and placed in a mental health diversion program.
- He failed to appear for a court-ordered mental health review, yet the court was legally required to dismiss his cases due to state law.
- The dismissal was based on Senate Bill 317, which blocks courts from restoring competency in misdemeanor-only cases.
- Three days after charges were dropped, Batres was found dead; Mendoza was re-arrested and held without bail.
The Rest of The Story:
Ramiro Mendoza had a troubled history with the law and ongoing difficulties following court-ordered programs.
In early 2025, Mendoza faced misdemeanor charges for violating a restraining order and resisting arrest—charges that indicated escalating behavior.
Following a court-ordered evaluation, he was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial and placed into a mental health diversion program with supervised release.
Under this program, Mendoza was expected to participate in scheduled reviews and comply with mental health assessments, but he failed to appear for a key review date.
The Napa County District Attorney’s Office stated, “Mendoza promptly failed to appear in court for his mental health diversion review and was found to be out of compliance with the diversion program.”
Despite the failure to follow the terms of the program, prosecutors could not proceed due to California’s strict laws regarding misdemeanor cases involving mentally incompetent defendants.
According to the DA’s office, “Because the law prohibits prosecution from continuing in cases where a defendant is deemed incompetent on only misdemeanor charges, the court had no choice but to dismiss both remaining cases and did so on July 8, 2025.”
Senate Bill 317, passed in a recent wave of legal reforms, removed courts’ ability to restore competency in misdemeanor-only cases, even when a defendant’s behavior worsens or shows a pattern of defiance.
Three days after Mendoza’s charges were dropped, the body of Noel Batres was discovered under a bridge in Napa on July 3, 2025.
Batres, 47, had lived in Napa for 26 years, and a GoFundMe campaign was later launched to help return his remains to his family in Guatemala.
The page described Batres as “a wonderful, caring, gentle soul,” while acknowledging his past struggles.
Mendoza was re-arrested on July 11 and charged with Batres’ murder, including enhancements related to prior offenses and the brutality of the crime.
Napa County Deputy District Attorney Katie Susemihl stated the case “highlights the real-world impact of the recent legal reforms, where courts are required to prioritize mental health treatment over traditional prosecution, even when defendants exhibit an unwillingness or inability to comply with court-ordered programs.”
UPDATE: Ramiro Ochoa Mendoza, 36, arrested by @NapaPD, charged by @NapaCountyDA w/murder in slaying of Noel Batres, 47, whose body was found under 3rd St. bridge near Soscol. Defendant had been granted mental-health diversion in prior case but failed to comply, DA says pic.twitter.com/sg2u1G4l1F
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) July 15, 2025
Commentary:
California’s mental health diversion law is meant to help people with genuine needs—but the system fails when it’s blind to escalating danger.
Mendoza was no first-time offender. His track record made it clear he wasn’t going to follow the rules, and the court knew he wasn’t compliant even before the murder happened.
This case lays bare how the state’s legal structure favors the offender’s “treatment rights” over a community’s right to be safe.
The court’s hands were tied not by reason or public safety but by legislation.
Even after Mendoza ignored court orders and disappeared from oversight, the law forced the court to drop the charges.
What’s missing is common sense. A person declared mentally unfit for trial should be monitored—not released to roam freely, especially when they’ve shown repeated refusal to engage in their assigned program.
At the very least, there should be a way to flag such individuals when their behavior escalates.
Senate Bill 317 stripped courts of any ability to restore competency or hold offenders accountable in misdemeanor cases, even when there are signs that the situation is deteriorating.
This murder didn’t come out of nowhere. It was preceded by warning signs—signs that were ignored. The failure to act didn’t just cost a court appearance—it cost a man his life.
Noel Batres wasn’t perfect, as his family acknowledges, but he didn’t deserve to be beaten to death under a bridge because the state wouldn’t keep someone dangerous off the streets.
It’s not anti-compassion to demand safeguards. Treatment and protection should go hand in hand.
When the system can’t—or won’t—distinguish between those who need help and those who pose a threat, it ceases to serve its purpose.
California lawmakers must face the consequences of these legal loopholes and make changes.
If they don’t, more lives will be lost, and more families will be left asking why no one stepped in when it mattered.
The Bottom Line:
Ramiro Mendoza was released under California’s mental health diversion laws despite clear signs of noncompliance.
Within days, he was arrested for murder.
This tragedy exposes the deep flaws in laws that protect offenders but leave citizens vulnerable.
Until those laws change, Californians remain at risk.
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