In the late hours of September 25, 2018, a 16-year-old Hispanic male named Roberto Angel Gomez was found with multiple gunshot wounds in Nampa, Idaho. The shooting occurred near the intersection of 11th Avenue North and Powell Avenue. Emergency services transported him to a local hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival. The Ada County Coroner's Office later confirmed that Gomez's death was a homicide resulting from the gunshot wounds.
At the time of the incident, Nampa police did not immediately identify any suspects and the motive was unknown. Friends of the teenager indicated that he had been involved in a dispute in the days leading up to the fatal shooting.
Following a thorough investigation, Nampa police made a series of arrests in December 2018, taking eight individuals into custody in connection with Roberto's death. Among those arrested were four adults and four teenagers. The investigation revealed that the homicide was the result of a gang-related conflict. The two individuals charged with first-degree murder were Maribel Menchaca, 42, and her 16-year-old son, Juan Menchaca Olvera. Both were also charged with robbery, with Juan Menchaca Olvera accused of taking money and a handgun from Gomez. Court documents indicated that a family confrontation had occurred just hours before the shooting, during which Maribel Menchaca allegedly took a gold chain from Gomez.
The other six individuals arrested faced a range of charges, including accessory to first-degree murder, aiding and abetting robbery, perjury, and intimidation of a witness. These suspects included Elizabeth Esparza, 28, and Olivia Hernandez-Santana, 35, who were accused of failing to report the presence of the shooters to the police and lying to a grand jury. Jose M. Menchaca, 39, and Jose A. Menchaca were also implicated, with charges related to aiding and abetting the robbery and providing false information to law enforcement. The remaining suspects were teenagers who faced charges for their alleged roles in aiding and abetting the crimes and withholding information from investigators.
