Jose Gomez

On the morning of February 21, 2014, Jose Gomez, a 36-year-old male landscaper, walked out of his Houston, Texas, residence to his truck to head to work. Just a few minutes later, his roommate made a devastating discovery. Gomez was found in a drainage ditch in front of their home, located in the 4600 block of Phlox on the city’s south side. He had been shot to death.

Houston police homicide detectives responded to the scene, but the initial investigation was hampered by a lack of information. There were no known witnesses to the shooting and no immediate suspects were identified.

Months later, the case saw a new development. In September 2014, police announced they were looking for two persons of interest. One was an unidentified woman who, according to police, had walked into a Chase Bank on Cullen and shared details about the murder. After media outlets publicized her photos, the woman contacted investigators herself.

Detectives interviewed the woman but ultimately determined that she had not witnessed the crime, had no connection to it, and did not have any information on a possible suspect. She was released without charges. Investigators also announced they were searching for a second person of interest, 28-year-old Omari Danta Barnes. As of September 2014, police were still seeking to locate him for questioning. The murder of Jose Gomez remains unsolved.