Parole Board Denies Release for Gary Cooper

The California board ruled Cooper still poses an unreasonable risk to public safety after two parole violations.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Drug Crime

Parole Board Denies Release for Gary Cooper

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Should repeat parole violators convicted of murder be denied release?

A California parole board denied release to Gary Lewis Cooper at a hearing on Wednesday. Cooper was convicted of murdering Filiberto Mendoza in 1993 and sentenced to 25 years to life.

Why it matters

Cooper has violated parole twice, including after his 2022 release for using methamphetamine, and the board found he continues to pose an unreasonable risk to public safety. The ruling keeps him in state custody.

Cooper remains in state prison after the parole board denied his release request on Wednesday. The board's ruling does not set a new release date, and no further proceedings are specified in the record.

The players

Gary Lewis Cooper

A convicted murderer serving a 25-years-to-life sentence for the 1993 killing of Filiberto Mendoza, whose repeated parole violations have kept him in custody.

The details

Cooper was first paroled in 2015 and violated that parole within two years, returning to prison. He was paroled again in 2022 but was returned to prison after violating that parole by using methamphetamine.

1993: Cooper murders Filiberto Mendoza in Glenn County.
2015: Cooper is first paroled.
2022: Cooper is paroled again.
2024: Cooper violates his second parole and returns to prison.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026: Parole board denies his release.

Legal Context

Parole boards in California weigh repeated violations, such as methamphetamine use after release, when deciding whether a lifer can be safely returned to the community. Cooper's case shows how two revocations can lead the board to find ongoing unreasonable risk.

Cooper will remain incarcerated, which keeps him out of Glenn County and other California communities for now. Residents concerned about parole decisions can follow future board hearings for similar cases.

The takeaway

Repeated parole violations, especially for drug use, can keep a previously released prisoner behind bars. Monitoring parole conditions closely is central to how release decisions are made.