‘Who’s talking s—?’ Man who killed pregnant lady, cousins at family cookout could be out of prison very soon

A 51-year-old man in Michigan will face jail time for fatally shooting three of his cousins, one of whom was pregnant, during a summer cookout two years ago.

On Monday, Juan M. Mireles pleaded no contest to one count of manslaughter and one count of using a firearm to commit a felony, according to court records reviewed by Law& Crime.

Mireles was initially charged with three counts of open murder and felony firearm possession, but pleaded to lesser charges after reaching an agreement with the Saginaw County Prosecutor’s Office.

The no-contest plea indicates that Mireles did not admit his guilt but did concede that the state has enough evidence to convict him at trial.

Laura Buendia, Mariano Escareño, and Rafael J. “Rafa” Campos, all related to Mireles, died as a result of multiple gunshots. Buendia was six months pregnant at the time, and doctors were able to save her baby.

According to MLive, Mireles appeared before Saginaw County Circuit Judge Darnell Jackson, who stated that he planned to sentence the convicted killer within the advisory sentencing guidelines, which range from three to eight years.

Mireles has been incarcerated since his arrest in October 2022, and it is possible that he will serve less than a year in prison after his formal sentence.

As previously reported by Law&Crime, Mireles went to Buendia’s parents’ home in the 300 block of 11th Street around 2:30 a.m. on June 5, 2023.

Buendia’s older sister told investigators that Mireles was their cousin, but he was not one of the family members invited to the cookout. Mireles’ sister, however, attended the event.

During the evening, Mireles’ sister and another woman got into a fight after the other woman claimed Mireles had assaulted her several years prior. During the dispute, Mireles’ sister called Mireles’ wife, and Mireles arrived in a minivan shortly after.

“Who’s talking s—?” According to MLive, Mireles spoke as he exited the vehicle with his sister and her husband.

Witness testimony differed on whether Mireles or the partygoers shot first.

When Mireles arrived at the house, Buendia’s sister informed him that Buendia and the other victims were cleaning up in the backyard. Buendia’s sister had only been inside for a short time when she reported hearing eight loud gunshots.

Mireles’ sister reportedly testified that she was walking behind her brother when they were shot at. Mireles received a gunshot wound to the abdomen, while his sister’s husband was shot in the hand.

Law enforcement and medical personnel responded to the scene where Campos and Mariano Escareño were reportedly killed.

Buendia was rushed to a local hospital, where she died from her injuries. Despite the fact that Buendia’s due date was not for another three months, doctors were reportedly able to deliver her baby safely.

Rosalina L. Buendia, the newborn, reportedly weighed less than three pounds at birth and had to stay in the hospital until September 13, when she was discharged to her grandparents’ care. Two years later, the child’s father told MLive that Rosalina is “doing wonderful.”

Before the 2022 shooting, Mireles served two years in prison and five years on probation for allegedly pistol-whipping his ex-wife and shooting his brother in November 2010. His probation reportedly ended in August 2016.

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