Rafael Adolfo Gomez, a 34-year-old Hispanic male, had come to the United States from his native El Salvador a decade earlier to build a better life. He lived in Beltsville, Maryland, with his wife, Jazmin Flores, and worked as a construction subcontractor to support his family. Described by loved ones as a deeply religious man, he loved playing soccer and spent every Sunday on the field in Anacostia with his team, Ancla de Oro. His brother remembered him for "his characteristics and him being himself."
On the morning of Thursday, July 13, 2023, Gomez arrived for his 6 a.m. shift at a construction site on the Howard University campus in Washington, D.C. He called his wife to let her know he had made it safely. "My love, I just got to my work," Flores recalled him saying. "I will change my clothes, and then I will call you when I get my lunch." Moments after he hung up, at approximately 6:04 a.m., he was shot near a steam plant project in the 2200 block of 6th Street, Northwest.
Police believe it was an attempted robbery. Emergency services transported Gomez to a local hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries.
Detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department began investigating the homicide and asked the public for help in locating a vehicle of interest, a white Nissan SUV with Maryland tags. The department offered a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
On July 31, 2023, police arrested a 14-year-old male from Northeast, D.C., pursuant to a D.C. Superior Court custody order. The teenager, who was not publicly identified, was charged with felony murder while armed. At a court hearing, prosecutors alleged that the teen was one of at least four individuals who had engaged in a two-hour crime spree that morning, which included two carjackings and another robbery before the fatal encounter with Gomez.
A homicide detective testified that security footage captured two people wearing masks and hoods approaching Gomez. A scuffle ensued, and the suspects were seen fleeing in a vehicle as Gomez fell to the ground. While a judge found sufficient evidence for the teen to stand trial, the defense noted that no one had positively identified him. The teen, who had no prior criminal history, was ordered to be held pending his next hearing.
As of August 2023, the 14-year-old suspect was awaiting trial. Police believe three other young people were involved in the crime spree and have identified another juvenile, but no other arrests have been made. The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the police at 202-727-9099 or submit a tip by texting 50411.
