Roman Gamboa

Roman Gamboa Jr., a 44-year-old man from the Coachella Valley, was born on October 9, 1980. Remembered for his warmth and kindness, he was a resident of Thermal, California, at the time of his death. His life was tragically cut short just three days after his birthday, leaving behind family and friends to mourn his sudden loss. His loved ones held a visitation service for him on October 29, 2024, at the Casillas Funeral Home in Coachella, followed by a graveside service the next day at the Coachella Valley Cemetery.

In the pre-dawn hours of Saturday, October 12, 2024, violence shattered the quiet of a Coachella neighborhood. At approximately 3:23 a.m., deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department's Thermal Station were dispatched to the 51800 block of Shady Lane after receiving a report of an assault with a deadly weapon. When they arrived, they discovered Roman Gamboa, who had sustained apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased at the scene at 3:30 a.m. Some official reports noted his body was found in the 85400 block of Cairo Street.

Responding deputies immediately secured the area as a crime scene, closing it to all foot and vehicle traffic. The investigation was quickly handed over to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department's Central Homicide Unit, which took the lead in piecing together the events that led to Gamboa's death. For nearly two months, investigators worked to identify those responsible for the killing. The department did not release information about the circumstances or a possible motive while the investigation was active.

A significant breakthrough in the case came on Tuesday, December 3, 2024. Following an intensive investigation, homicide detectives identified two suspects: 18-year-old Gael Silva and a 17-year-old male, both residents of Coachella. With assistance from the Major Crimes Unit and the Thermal Station Coachella Community Action Team, investigators located and arrested both teenagers in the Coachella area. The identity of the 17-year-old was not released because he is a minor.

Following the arrests, Gael Silva was booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside on suspicion of murder. The 17-year-old was booked into juvenile hall. Court records revealed that Silva was scheduled for an arraignment at the Larson Justice Center in Indio to face felony counts of murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Just a month before the shooting, in September, Silva had pleaded guilty to a felony charge of carrying a loaded firearm without being the registered owner, for which he had received 24 months of probation.

As of December 2024, the criminal case against the two suspects was proceeding through the justice system. The investigation into Roman Gamboa's murder was still considered ongoing by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, which suggested that further details might be pending. Authorities have not publicly discussed what led them to identify Silva and the juvenile as the suspects or the specific motive behind the shooting.

The Sheriff's Department has encouraged anyone with additional information about the incident to come forward. They have asked the public to contact Investigator Ortiz of the Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777 or Investigator Glasper of the Thermal Station at (760) 863-8990. The case remains a painful memory for those who knew and loved Roman Gamboa, as they await the final outcome of the legal proceedings.