Accused man sues murder victim’s family

AUBURN – A Sabattus man awaiting trial for the shooting death of a woman with whom he was locked in a bitter custody battle is suing members of the victim’s family, saying they contributed to emotional distress leading up to the killing last August.

Daniel Roberts, 35, is being held without bail in Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn while awaiting trial for murder. He has said he shot Melissa Mendoza, who was 29, in the back of the head because she threatened to kill him, their 2-year-old daughter and herself when she came to his home.

Roberts claims the shooting was in defense of himself and their daughter Savannah.

His civil suit says Mendoza’s mother and sister actively participated in a plan to take the estranged couple’s daughter from Maine to California during a custody dispute over the girl. The suit seeks damages for “intentional infliction of emotional distress,” punitive damages and compensation for expenses he incurred traveling to California to find and retrieve his daughter.

Mendoza, who had sought protection from abuse orders against Roberts, was in Maine at the time of the shooting to attend a child custody hearing. Mendoza was about to get custody of the couple’s daughter for six months. Roberts and Mendoza had been sharing custody, each parent getting six months at a time.

Mendoza’s mother, Mary Mireles of Tustin, Calif., said she was aware of Roberts’ civil suit but offered no further comment.

No date has been set for Roberts’ murder trial.