Henry Gonzalez Carmona

On the night of March 11, 2023, a confrontation at a Safeway in Vancouver, Washington, led to the death of 28-year-old Henry Gonzalez Carmona, a Hispanic male. The incident, which also left three of his companions wounded, began inside the grocery store and spiraled into a rolling shooting that ended near a local hospital.

Earlier that evening, Gonzalez Carmona and his girlfriend entered the Safeway on East Mill Plain Boulevard while two friends waited for them in a car. Inside, they encountered two men who questioned Gonzalez Carmona about where he was from, a query that investigators noted is often associated with gang affiliations. The interaction was brief, and the two men left the store. About two minutes later, Gonzalez Carmona and his girlfriend also exited.

In the parking lot, gunfire erupted. Gonzalez Carmona was struck and seriously injured. His friends helped him into their vehicle and sped toward PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center. The assailants pursued them, firing additional rounds into their car as they drove. The chase ended near the hospital, where Gonzalez Carmona was dropped off at the emergency center. He ultimately succumbed to a perforating gunshot wound to his torso. His death was ruled a homicide. His girlfriend and two friends were also wounded by the gunfire but survived their injuries.

The subsequent police investigation quickly identified two suspects. Nicholas Martinell Sterling, then 28, was arrested at his home on March 15, 2023. A second man, Austin Bell, was also taken into custody. Both men were charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and drive-by shooting.

In March 2026, a Clark County jury found both Nicholas Martinell Sterling and Austin Bell guilty of all charges: first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree assault, and one count of drive-by shooting.

The following month, in April 2026, a judge sentenced the two men for the murder of Henry Gonzalez Carmona. Sterling received a sentence of 83 years in prison, while Bell was sentenced to 68.25 years.