In the spring of 2025, the community of Pass Christian, Mississippi, was shaken by the tragic death of Joyce Gomez, a 38-year-old mother of two who had recently moved to the area from Florida. Her disappearance and subsequent murder unraveled a history of domestic violence and led to the arrest of her on-again, off-again boyfriend.
Joyce Gomez was last seen alive on the night of Friday, April 25, 2025, in downtown Bay St. Louis.
She had just finished her shift as a bartender at the Whiskey Bar in Pass Christian. Concern grew when she did not return to the home she shared with her father and two children, prompting her father to report her missing the following day. The search came to a grim end on Sunday, April 27th, when her body was discovered dumped off a dirt path in a wooded area off West Wittman Road.
An autopsy later revealed that Joyce Gomez had died from a single gunshot wound. Investigators noted that her body had been doused in bleach or a similar substance, and there were initial indications of blunt force trauma. The investigation quickly focused on one individual: Brett Huntley Keel, a 37-year-old with a significant criminal history, including convictions for domestic violence. Gomez had previously sought and obtained a domestic violence protection order against him.
Authorities arrested Brett Huntley Keel, charging him with first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence. The tampering charge stemmed from the belief that he had used a substance like bleach to conceal evidence of the crime. During the investigation, police found what appeared to be blood inside Keel's pickup truck and on clothing found in the vehicle. Further investigation uncovered blood evidence both inside and outside the home he shared with his mother. When questioned, Keel admitted to being with Gomez after her shift, claiming he dropped her off at a beach in Pass Christian and that she had walked home from there.
Keel, who had a history of arrests for offenses including domestic violence against his own mother, was held in the Harrison County jail on a $1.5 million bond. In May 2025, he waived his preliminary hearing, and the case was bound over to a grand jury for a potential indictment. The community of Pass Christian mourned the loss of Gomez, who was remembered as a devoted mother and a beloved friend and coworker.
