Lynn police seek new leads in 2008 murder

LYNN – Covered in blood from stab wounds to his neck and groin, 22-year-old Silvino C. Mendez bled to death before dawn alone in a parking lot behind Mi Guatemala Bakery on June 30, 2008.Mendez was at first thought by bakery employees to be either drunk or homeless, according to Lynn Police Captain Mark O’Toole.But within the hour, employees realized something else was wrong and frantically called the police, around the same time that a trash pick-up driver also dialed 911 after spotting the blood-caked man lying on his back.”Officers responded to 201 Union St. at 5:41 a.m.,” O’Toole said. “There was a large amount of blood at the scene and signs of a struggle. He was stabbed at least two times.”O’Toole said one theory as to how Mendez ended up dead is that he had been trolling the area for a prostitute and was murdered when the services went awry. Another possibility is that the prostitute’s pimp initiated the killing.”We conducted extensive interviews with people who frequented the area and prostitutes who were known to be downtown around that time, but nothing came of it to develop any strong leads,” O’Toole said.Since the murder happened sometime around 4:30 a.m. in a secluded lot that wasn’t anywhere near Mendez’ job or home, O’Toole said details of the crime remain sketchy.”We also believe he was robbed,” O’Toole said. “We don’t know the exact time that he was murdered and it’s been difficult to track his last movements. I plan on re-interviewing (prostitutes) in the area with the hope of getting new information.”Little details remain known about Mendez, who had recently moved to Lynn from Guatemala and was working as a cook at Chili’s restaurant in Danvers. He was one of six sons and left behind his mother, whom he was supporting in Guatemala, and a large family of 14 nieces and nephews.Mendez’ body was sent home to Guatemala for burial.Anyone with information about this cold case is urged to call the police at 781-595-2000. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by texting the word tiplynn and the information to tip411. Tips can also be sent through the department’s website, www.lynnpolice.org, and clicking the “submit tip” icon.