On the evening of September 23, 2026, Diego Sanchez-Marin, a 21-year-old man from Caldwell, Idaho, was fatally shot in a parking lot along the 1600 block of South Kimball Avenue. What began as an ordinary Wednesday evening ended in tragedy when gunfire erupted outside a local business, leaving Sanchez-Marin critically wounded. At approximately 5:43 p.m., Caldwell police officers responded to reports of multiple gunshots and several vehicles fleeing the area.
Upon arriving, officers discovered Sanchez-Marin lying in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. They immediately began administering first aid while awaiting emergency medical personnel.
Sanchez-Marin was transported to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, where medical personnel attempted to save his life. Despite those efforts, he was pronounced dead at approximately 6:29 p.m. The Ada County Coroner's Office determined that his death resulted from multiple gunshot wounds and classified it as a homicide. Prosecutors later stated that Sanchez-Marin had been shot at least five times. Nearby residents described hearing gunfire, a brief pause, and then another series of shots. Some approached the scene hoping to help after learning that someone had been seriously injured.
As detectives reconstructed the shooting, court documents revealed that Sanchez-Marin had been visiting Averhealth, a substance-use monitoring and drug-testing facility. His girlfriend had accompanied him and was waiting inside his pickup truck while he entered the building. According to her statement to investigators, she noticed a man approaching a gray sedan parked near their vehicle. The man allegedly told another occupant of the sedan that he intended to attack someone known as "Demon." Police subsequently identified that nickname as one associated with Sanchez-Marin.
The two men reportedly entered the sedan and drove away, only to return shortly afterward as Sanchez-Marin was leaving the clinic. According to the probable cause affidavit, his girlfriend witnessed a gunman open fire on Sanchez-Marin, striking him in the back as he attempted to run toward his truck. She told detectives that the shooter returned to the vehicle and continued firing as the car departed. Sanchez-Marin's girlfriend, who was also armed, reportedly fired toward the fleeing vehicle before the gunman fired back in her direction. Investigators alleged that Sanchez-Marin was struck again during the exchange.
The investigation quickly focused on identifying the occupants of the vehicle. Witnesses provided information that allowed Caldwell detectives to use automated license plate recognition technology to locate a vehicle believed to have been involved. Investigators also examined electronic tracking information associated with a silver Mercedes-Benz connected to the suspect's family. According to court records, GPS information placed the vehicle near the shooting scene shortly before and after the gunfire and subsequently near a residence in Greenleaf, Idaho.
On September 24, 2026, approximately 23 hours after the shooting, authorities arrested Johan Rodriguez Gomez, a 15-year-old suspect, in connection with Sanchez-Marin's death. The arrest occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m. and was carried out without incident. Caldwell police received assistance from the Metro Violent Crime Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, Idaho State Police, the Canyon County Sheriff's Office, and Canyon County Probation and Parole. Rodriguez Gomez was initially booked into the Southwest Idaho Juvenile Detention Center on a murder charge.
Following his arrest, Rodriguez Gomez was formally charged with first-degree murder and an additional felony offense involving allegations that he fired shots toward Sanchez-Marin's girlfriend. News reports identified that additional charge as aggravated assault, although some coverage described it as aggravated battery. During the investigation, one witness positively identified Rodriguez Gomez in a photographic lineup as the suspected shooter. Sanchez-Marin's girlfriend was unable to make a positive identification, although she indicated that one photograph had facial features similar to those of the gunman she had encountered.
During Rodriguez Gomez's September 25 arraignment in Canyon County, prosecutors argued that the shooting appeared to have been premeditated and targeted. They also raised concerns about possible gang connections. A Caldwell police detective assigned to the department's gang investigations unit had identified Sanchez-Marin in court documents as a previously documented member of the Sureño gang. Prosecutors expressed concern that releasing Rodriguez Gomez could lead to additional retaliatory violence. These allegations formed part of the prosecution's initial presentation and had not been established through a criminal trial.
Canyon County Judge Matthew Bever denied bail after considering the seriousness of the allegations and the prosecution's concerns about public safety. The court also determined that Rodriguez Gomez would be prosecuted as an adult under Idaho law because of the nature of the charges. Although the possibility of the death penalty was mentioned during the initial proceedings, prosecutors subsequently confirmed that it would not be pursued because federal constitutional law prohibits executing defendants who were younger than 18 when the alleged crime occurred. Rodriguez Gomez could face life imprisonment if convicted of first-degree murder.
Beyond the investigation and criminal proceedings, Sanchez-Marin's death devastated a family that remembered him for far more than the circumstances of his killing. Born in Caldwell on August 26, 2005, he was the eldest child of Janis Marin and Waldo Sanchez. His family described him as fearless, adventurous, athletic, and determined. He developed a love for outdoor activities at an early age, learning to ride a bicycle and snowboard while still very young. As he grew older, he became an accomplished snowboarder and BMX rider who enjoyed spending time in the mountains, fishing, camping, and sharing adventures with those closest to him.
His family also remembered his willingness to help others, his humor, and his devotion to his younger siblings. He was someone who would include people who felt left out, help bridge communication barriers by translating for others, and make time for family activities. Although his relatives acknowledged that he had experienced personal difficulties, they emphasized that those experiences did not define his character or diminish the importance of the life he lived.
A public viewing was held on September 27, 2026, at Dakan Funeral Chapel in Caldwell, followed by a celebration of life on September 28. Family members and friends gathered to remember the young man whose future had been abruptly taken away. His death left an especially painful absence for his parents, siblings, partner, and extended family, who had expected to share many more milestones and memories with him.
The homicide investigation remained open following Rodriguez Gomez's arrest, with Caldwell police indicating that additional charges or arrests were possible. Authorities continued seeking information from anyone who witnessed the shooting or had knowledge of the events surrounding it. The publicly available reporting reviewed did not establish that Rodriguez Gomez had been convicted or sentenced, nor did it establish that any additional suspects had been arrested. While prosecutors advanced allegations of a targeted, potentially gang-related attack, the complete circumstances and motive remained matters for the ongoing investigation and judicial proceedings.
