Gilbert Moralez

Gilbert Moralez, a 41-year-old Hispanic man and medical researcher from Dallas, was visiting Waco, Texas, for a medical conference in February 2024. His trip ended in tragedy when he was fatally shot, marking the city’s first homicide of the year.

In the early morning of February 23, shortly after 1 a.m., Moralez was with three colleagues at Cricket’s Drafthouse in the 200 block of Mary Avenue. An altercation began inside the bar after a man from another group pulled the hair of a female colleague in Moralez’s party. When Moralez confronted the man, a dispute broke out. To de-escalate, Moralez and his group decided to leave the establishment.

As they walked through the parking lot, they were followed by four men from the other group. A physical confrontation ensued in the lot. After the fight ended, Moralez and his colleagues began walking away in the direction of the Hilton Hotel. One of the women in his group then heard a loud noise she compared to a firework and realized Moralez had been struck by gunfire. The group attempted life-saving measures until police and paramedics arrived, but Moralez was pronounced dead at the scene.

Waco police detectives used surveillance footage from several downtown businesses to trace the suspects’ movements. They linked the men to a separate incident at another bar, Austin’s on the Ave, that occurred just before the shooting. This evidence helped them identify a suspect. On March 13, the U.S. Marshals Service's Lone Star Fugitive Task Force arrested 25-year-old Bralon Amad Buhl of Temple. He was charged with one count of murder and three counts of aggravated assault.

Buhl was convicted of murder by a jury of six men and six women who deliberated for just 20 minutes. Judge Thomas West sentenced him to 60 years in prison and imposed a $20,000 fine. Under the terms of his sentence, Buhl must serve at least 30 years before becoming eligible for parole. After the verdict, prosecutors William Hix and Ashlyn McAllen stated they hoped the outcome would allow the family and friends of the man who was senselessly killed to begin the next stage of healing. The case was closed with Buhl’s conviction and sentencing in March 2026.