By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
NILES, MI – In recent court action in Berrien County Trial Court, area residents have been sentenced to prison. Meanwhile, a murder case from last year involving the death of an Eau Claire firefighter is set to start this week.
Rigoberto Gomez, 48, of Eau Claire, is accused in the Nov. 2, 2024 shooting death of Chad Medlin, a local firefighter, outside a bar in downtown Eau Claire. He faces several charges including open murder. Berrien County Assistant Prosecutor Kate Arnold is trying the case, which was scheduled to start Wednesday, Nov. 13 in St. Joseph.
The open murder charge allows for a jury to consider either first-degree or second-degree murder. A conviction for first-degree murder would result in a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. A second-degree murder conviction carries a maximum penalty of life or any term of years.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight on Nov. 2 when Berrien County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to downtown Eau Claire on reports of a shooting at the intersection of Main and Elm Streets in the village.
The found a victim later identified as Medlin shot and unresponsive with life threatening injuries. Another victim, Leonardo Demarco, 39, of Eau Claire, was found shot with non-life threatening injuries. Both were transported to Spectrum Lakeland Health Hospital where Medlin, 36, of Benton Harbor, was pronounced deceased.
Gomez was identified by witnesses as a suspect in the incident. Several addresses were checked to locate him and he was arrested at a home in Coloma Township.
A Mishawaka teen accused in a June road rage incident in Bertrand Township has been sentenced to prison.
Ryland Louis Mayfield, 19, of Mishawaka, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with intent to murder and was sentenced Monday in Berrien County Trial Court to two concurrent prison terms.
Mayfield received a sentence of 12 to 59 years in prison on one count and a concurrent 10 years to 59 years in prison on the other count. He has credit for 146 days served and must pay $326 in fines and costs.
The incident occurred June 6 in Bertrand Township near JD’s Truck Stop at U.S. 12 and Mayflower Road. Two victims were shot, one more seriously than the other, and still has bullet fragments inside him. The other had injuries to his ear, which was ripped by a bullet.
“Thankfully we’re not here on more egregious charges,” Assistant Prosecutor Jerry Vigansky said. “He was spraying a car full of people with bullets, this could have been murder. His actions were totally inappropriate and careless.”
Defense attorney Elias Muawad said that he has urged Mayfield to take the time he will spend in prison to concentrate on getting his high school diploma and skills he can use when he gets out. “I want him to use his time in prison to get better so he can live the rest of his life successfully,” he said.
Mayfield apologized and said he had made a horrible mistake both in shooting at the other car and altering his gun to make it an automatic weapon. “I will use the time wisely to improve myself,” he said. “I’m so thankful that the victim survived.”
Berrien County Trial Court Judge Gordon Hosbein spoke about the problem that gun “switches” are causing in society as they modify guns to be automatic weapons.
“These switches are a problem and very dangerous,” he said. “They turn a weapon into an unstoppable weapon. They are dangerous, and I hope someone gets control of them; they hurt people.”
Judge Hosbein called Mayfield a “young man who made a stupid choice.” He encouraged Mayfield to better himself while in prison. “I’ve seen people come out of prison better people,” he said. “Don’t waste your time, take advantage of the opportunities offered.”
An Indiana man is going to prison after being convicted of breaking into a Buchanan marijuana dispensary last year.
Joseph Dustin Kabelis, 27, of Indiana, pleaded guilty to breaking and entering a building with intent to commit larceny, third degree fleeing and eluding police and unlawful driving away of an automobile and was sentenced to three concurrent prison terms Monday in Berrien County Trial Court at the Niles courthouse.
Kabelis received a sentence of 34 months to 10 years in prison for breaking and entering, a sentence of 18 months to five years in prison for fleeing and eluding police and a sentence of 34 months to five years in prison for unlawful driving away of an automobile.
Charges of malicious destruction of a building $1,000 to $20,000, resisting and obstructing police, reckless driving and failure to stop after a collision were dismissed.
The incident occurred Nov. 28, 2024 in Buchanan. Assistant Prosecutor Myrene Koch reported that Kabelis crashed into a home on Red Bud Trail and then broke into the High Profile Cannabis dispensary on Front Street.