In the scorching heat of a Las Vegas summer, a chilling act of violence shattered a family and sent shockwaves through the community. On August 17, 2023, Marillorky Tamayo-Cruz, a 34-year-old mother of two, was brutally gunned down in her parents’ apartment by her estranged husband, Roidan Durruthy-Mendoza. The tragedy unfolded mere hours after a divorce court hearing where Tamayo-Cruz emerged victorious, securing custody of their two daughters, the family home, and a vehicle. What should have been a moment of triumph for the young mother turned into a nightmare that ended her life and left a community grappling with the devastating consequences of domestic violence.
The day began with hope for Tamayo-Cruz. She shared the news of her court victory with her family, her voice filled with relief as she spoke of gaining custody of her 14-year-old and 2-year-old daughters, along with the house and truck. But that joy was short-lived. Around 2:30 p.m., Durruthy-Mendoza, then 38, texted his ex-wife, requesting to swap vehicles. When she ignored his message, he arrived uninvited at the Destinations Spring Valley apartment complex near Jones Boulevard and Flamingo Road, where Tamayo-Cruz was staying with her parents. What followed was a horrifying escalation of rage and violence.
According to police reports, an argument erupted when Tamayo-Cruz refused to hand over the keys to their grey Toyota Sienna, citing personal belongings still inside. Durruthy-Mendoza, fueled by anger, attempted to climb the second-floor balcony where Tamayo-Cruz stood with relatives. When pushed back, he stormed to the front door, banging and firing his 9mm handgun, shooting off the security and front doors in a terrifying breach. Tamayo-Cruz and her 14-year-old daughter fled to a bedroom, locking the door in a desperate bid for safety. But Durruthy-Mendoza’s fury was unrelenting. He kicked down the door, grabbed Tamayo-Cruz by the hair, and shot her three times in the head, killing her in front of her horrified daughter. Witnesses reported hearing him say, “I told you not to joke around with me,” a chilling statement that underscored his vengeful intent.
The violence didn’t end there. Durruthy-Mendoza turned his weapon on others in the apartment, shooting through a door where Tamayo-Cruz’s mother and brother-in-law were hiding, injuring both. The mother sustained a gunshot wound to her elbow, and the brother-in-law was struck in the eye, though both survived with non-life-threatening injuries. In a courageous act of defiance, Tamayo-Cruz’s teenage daughter grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Durruthy-Mendoza in the back, cutting her own hand in the struggle. Her bravery forced him to flee, leaving behind the 9mm handgun next to Tamayo-Cruz’s body in the hallway between the bedroom and bathroom. Miraculously, the couple’s 2-year-old daughter, present during the attack, was unharmed.
As police descended on the scene, Durruthy-Mendoza drove to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department headquarters. At 3:10 p.m., he parked his white truck, his shirt drenched in blood from the stab wound, and calmly walked into the Records and Fingerprints Bureau. “I killed my wife,” he confessed to officers, a stark admission that led to his immediate arrest. He was treated for his injuries at University Medical Center and booked in absentia on charges of open murder with a deadly weapon, two counts of attempted murder, and two counts of domestic battery with a deadly weapon.
The legal proceedings that followed were fraught with complexity. Durruthy-Mendoza initially pleaded not guilty, and his case faced delays when, in May 2024, a psychiatrist deemed him incompetent to stand trial due to a possible delusional disorder. However, by August 25, 2025, the now 40-year-old defendant stood before District Judge Michelle Leavitt at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, ready to accept responsibility. In a dramatic courtroom moment, Durruthy-Mendoza pleaded guilty to one count of murder with the use of a deadly weapon, a plea that spared him a trial set to begin that very day. Additional charges, including attempted murder, domestic battery, assault, child abuse, residential burglary, and 11 counts of illegally discharging a firearm, were dismissed as part of the plea agreement. In a separate case, he also entered an Alford plea to non-sexual coercion, resolving allegations of sexual assault and lewdness with a minor, though this plea was contingent on the murder case resolution.
The courtroom was not without its tension. During the hearing, Durruthy-Mendoza briefly wavered, claiming through a Spanish interpreter that the shooting was “an accident.” Judge Leavitt, unwavering, warned that she would not accept the plea if he contradicted his guilt. After consulting with his attorneys, Chief Deputy Public Defender Charles Cano and Chief Deputy Special Public Defender Quintin Dollente, Durruthy-Mendoza reaffirmed his guilt, solidifying the plea. Prosecutors, led by Deputy District Attorney Corey Hallquist, announced their intent to seek a life sentence without parole, citing the brutality of the crime committed in front of two children and the attempted murder of additional witnesses.
The murder of Marillorky Tamayo-Cruz has left an indelible mark on her family and the Las Vegas community. Her 14-year-old daughter, who witnessed her mother’s final moments and fought back against her attacker, spoke of her profound loss to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, saying, “I don’t know what I’m going to do without her.” The case has reignited conversations about the pervasive threat of domestic violence, with authorities and advocates emphasizing the need for greater awareness, resources, and prevention efforts. Tamayo-Cruz’s history with Durruthy-Mendoza was marred by verbal and physical altercations, and her divorce filings had accused him of domestic violence, a pattern that culminated in her tragic death.
As the sentencing hearing looms on October 15, 2025, the community waits for closure in a case that underscores the devastating toll of domestic violence. Roidan Durruthy-Mendoza, now facing the prospect of life behind bars, will answer for the life he took and the family he shattered. For Marillorky Tamayo-Cruz, a mother whose strength and resilience shone through until her final moments, her legacy lives on in her daughters and the urgent call for justice and change in the fight against domestic violence.