Roberto Gonzalez, a 20-year-old Hispanic male, was a young man from South Omaha, Nebraska, known to his friends and family as "Tito." He had a passion for skateboarding, basketball, and creating rhymes. His life was tragically cut short on the morning of January 22, 2015. The day before, a dispute had begun, the details of which are not widely public, but it set in motion the events that would lead to his death.
On that cold January morning, at the corner of 24th and P streets, Roberto
was shot. The authorities were quickly alerted, and he was rushed to the Nebraska Medical Center, the very same hospital where he had been born. Despite the efforts of the medical staff, Roberto Gonzalez succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The investigation into Roberto's death quickly identified a primary suspect: 19-year-old Ary Soto. An arrest warrant was issued for Soto on charges of first-degree murder. Another individual, Idri Freserno, was also taken into custody and booked as an accessory to the crime. For a time, Soto remained at large, and a significant reward was offered for information leading to his capture. A tip from Crime Stoppers eventually led law enforcement to San Antonio, Texas, where Soto was apprehended.
In August of 2015, Ary Soto pleaded no contest to charges of murder and use of a weapon. Prosecutors revealed that the killing was a calculated act. Soto had reportedly used Facebook to lure Gonzalez to the meeting at 24th and P streets under the pretense of a drug deal, with the intention of killing him. In November 2015, a judge sentenced Soto to a term of 70 years to life in prison. Two other individuals, Anel Ortega and Hector Serrano, were also charged in connection with the murder. In the wake of this senseless tragedy, Roberto's parents shared his story in the hopes of preventing other families from experiencing such a profound loss.
