She and her husband ran toward her mom’s house, spotting a seemingly injured Mireles heading in the same direction.
The other sister, who was already at her mom’s home, said she looked out and saw a slow-walking Mireles approaching. One sister took vehicle keys from the other and drove her wounded husband to a local hospital, she said.
Another witness testified he was still at the gathering when he saw Mireles, a gun in his hand, and two others in the street walking toward the Buendias’ property. The witness said he saw Campos draw a gun of his own as Buendia said she was going to tell those approaching to leave.
The witness said he went next door, only to hear gunfire, seemingly from more than one gun based on the number of shots.
Buendia’s older sister testified she was inside her parents’ house when she heard eight quick gunshots, then one exceptionally loud one. She ran outside, saw her sister and Campos had been wounded and tried helping them. She also saw a black vehicle leave, of a type she knew to be driven by Mireles.
Buendia suffered three gunshot wounds: to the left side of her chest, her upper left back, and to her right foot. Escareño had been shot once, though the lone bullet had caused four external wounds. The bullet entered from the left backside of Escareño’s chest, exited near his right armpit, then reentered his upper right arm before exiting again. The bullet perforated Escareño’s left lung, aorta, pulmonary artery trunk, and right lung, the doctor said.
Campos suffered gunshot wounds to his head, both sides of his torso or chest area, two to the right side of his back, and two to his left leg.
Police recovered a 9mm handgun from Campos’ hand, a Saginaw police officer testified.
Mireles himself suffered a gunshot wound to his abdomen. A fifth person, 27-year-old Jairo Mireles-Urive, also suffered at least one gunshot wound at the gathering.
The Victims
Laura Buendia was an avid baker, having graduated from The Culinary Institute of Michigan in 2018. She received the bronze medal in commercial baking at the April 2017 Michigan SkillsUSA Competition. The following April, she took home the gold medal for commercial baking.
Buendia was engaged to the father of her daughter, Josh Tello, at the time of her death.
Mariano Escareño was an artist “who thrived as a drawer, painter, singer and dancer,” according to his obituary.
“He had an eye for rare details and utilized his gift of photography to capture beauty in the broken and precious moments in this life,” his obituary states. “He will always be remembered for his gentle heart, silly jokes, and Mexicano dance moves.”
Rafael Campos likewise had an “artistic soul,” according to his obituary.
“Rafael loved writing his own music,” his obituary states. “Rafael had a passion for sports, family, and friends. He was a big fan of Michigan State University football and basketball. Rafael loyally cheered them on whether it was a winning or losing season. He enjoyed tailgating and attending games with his older brother.”
Mireles in September 2011 was sentenced to two years in prison and five years of probation on convictions of felony firearm and felonious assault. Those convictions resulted from Mireles on Nov. 25, 2010 — Thanksgiving Day — shooting his brother and pistol-whipping his ex-wife at his parents’ house, located a few doors down from Buendia’s parents’ home.
