A family in Southern California is grieving after their beloved grandfather, Fritz Mendoza, was brutally killed by an attacker who is still on the run.
Fritz Mendoza, 79, a veteran and dedicated husband for over 50 years, ran an Allstate insurance business in Fontana for more than 30 years. On the morning of January 10, Fritz and his son were getting ready to open the office when they discovered an intruder at the front desk. As they tried to help, the intruder, later identified as 37-year-old Ronalee Barrett Stanberry, grabbed a bat and attacked Fritz, hitting him on the head.
Fritz’s son had gone to the back of the office and noticed ceiling panels had fallen. To his surprise, he found a man sitting in a chair, asking not to be harmed. The intruder then asked Fritz’s son to make a phone call, but suddenly grabbed a bat from the wall and struck Fritz.
Fritz was rushed to the hospital in critical condition but tragically passed away 11 days later from his injuries.
Fritz’s granddaughter, Mikayla Mendoza, shared that the intruder came through the ceiling, likely after spending the night inside the business. She also revealed that the bat used in the attack was a sentimental gift with the initials of Fritz’s grandchildren. Mikayla remembered her grandfather fondly, saying, “He took us on so many adventures and I will always cherish those memories.”
Surveillance footage showed Fritz’s son struggling with the intruder and eventually taking the bat from him. Stanberry then fled the scene, and police are still searching for him. Mikayla described her grandfather as the kind of person everyone would want as a grandpa, and the family is heartbroken by his loss.
Stanberry is known to travel by train and has connections to Chino, Los Angeles, and Kern County. His last known arrest was in Bakersfield.
