Brandon Cletus George. Photo: Lancaster County Department of Corrections
FARGO (KFGO) – A 42-year-old Fargo man faces formal murder charges after authorities say he killed his mother inside their shared apartment and fled the state, triggering a high-speed interstate chase in Nebraska.
Fargo Police Chief Travis Stefonowicz and Capt. Matt Christensen said Wednesday that probable cause was established to arrest Brandon Cletus George for murder in the death of 60-year-old Pamela Mendoza.
Officers discovered Mendoza deceased Monday afternoon during a welfare check at an apartment in the 1800 block of 34th Street South. Family members requested the check after Mendoza failed to show up for work or contact relatives, which officers noted was unusual for her. Detectives determined Mendoza died from severe trauma and discovered that her gray 2014 Toyota Camry was missing from the scene.
Early Tuesday morning, Fargo police entered the vehicle’s information into a national law enforcement database. In less than five hours, automated license plate reader technology alerted Nebraska law enforcement that the car was traveling along Interstate 80.
When local police attempted a traffic stop near Milford, Nebraska, the vehicle fled, initiating a multi-agency pursuit involving the Nebraska State Patrol and air support units. Authorities said George swerved toward a trooper attempting to deploy tire-deflation devices before officers successfully stopped the car and took him into custody.
Two Fargo detectives traveled to Nebraska early Wednesday morning to interview George and process the vehicle for additional evidence. Prosecutors pushed through formal murder charges late Tuesday afternoon as extradition proceedings remain pending to bring George back to North Dakota.
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