Phoenix hammer killer gets 30 years for bludgeoning sleeping homeless men
Mahrion Alexio Mendonca is pictured in a booking photo. (Maricopa County Sheriff's Office)
PHOENIX - A 28-year-old man was sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in prison for a series of brutal, unprovoked hammer attacks that left one unhoused Phoenix man dead and three others with permanent, life-altering injuries.
What we know:
Mahrion Alexio Mendonca pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault in connection with the horrific late-2025 crime spree. Prosecutors say Mendonca actively preyed on victims sleeping on the streets near downtown Phoenix, circling the block to choose his targets before bludgeoning them.
Phoenix police investigate downtown following a brutal, unprovoked hammer attack in the fall of 2025. (FOX 10 File)
The backstory:
The violence unfolded over two separate nights. The first attacks occurred on Sept. 29, 2025, near Central Avenue and Portland Street, where Mendonca struck two people, including one who was asleep on the sidewalk. Two days later, on Oct. 1, he struck again, attacking two more sleeping victims. In each instance, Mendonca repeatedly hit the victims in the head with a hammer.
A 74-year-old man died at a local hospital days after being assaulted. The surviving victims suffered permanent physical and psychological damage, with one victim now confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak.
Man accused of attacking 4 in downtown Phoenix, killing 1
A 27-year-old man was arrested after allegedly targeting and attacking four people living on the streets. Video showed him using a hammer, and possibly a glass bottle in the assaults, which left a 74-year-old dead.
Mendonca was arrested by the Phoenix Police Department just days after the second attack. He initially faced first-degree murder charges before reaching the plea agreement and will serve his sentence in the Arizona State Prison.
What they're saying:
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell highlighted the senseless nature of the violence in announcing the sentence.
"The brutality of this crime is difficult to overstate. Some of the victims were sleeping and did nothing to provoke this violence. They were not looking for a confrontation," said Mitchell. "One man lost his life in a brutal hammer attack, and three other victims were left with physical and psychological injuries they will have to live with for the rest of their lives."
Mahrion Alexio Mendonca appears in a Maricopa County courtroom following his arrest in 2025. (Maricopa County Superior Court)
"While this sentence cannot restore what was lost or erase the pain these victims carry, it holds the defendant accountable for the profound harm he caused," Mitchell continued.
The area where the hammer attacks occurred in downtown Phoenix:
What we don't know:
Investigators have not disclosed a motive for the attacks, and authorities have not publicly released the identities of the victims.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, the Phoenix Police Department and Maricopa County court records.