Leah Marie Gomez, a 22-year-old female, passed away unexpectedly on May 31, 2023. Her death, which occurred in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the result of a fatal shooting. At the time of the incident, Gomez was sitting in her car with her one-year-old daughter, who was unharmed. A friend of Gomez was on the phone with her when the shooting occurred, and after hearing gunshots, immediately contacted 911.
Police arrived at the 300 block of Commerce Avenue SW to find Gomez in her
silver Mercury, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The investigation quickly identified a person of interest, 27-year-old Luis Fabian Bernal-Sosa, who was the father of Gomez's child and her ex-boyfriend. There was a known history of domestic violence between the two, and an active warrant for Bernal-Sosa's arrest for a prior attempt to strangle Gomez.
Following the shooting, law enforcement tracked Bernal-Sosa to the Chicago area, where he was apprehended. He was then extradited back to Grand Rapids to face charges. During her funeral service, Gomez's family was notified of his arrest. Bernal-Sosa was charged with first-degree murder, felony firearm, and carrying a concealed weapon. The weapon used in the shooting was identified as an AR-15 style rifle.
The trial against Luis Fabian Bernal-Sosa concluded with a jury finding him guilty of the murder of Leah Gomez. The verdict was reached after a trial where the defense did not call any witnesses. Subsequently, Bernal-Sosa was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the killing of the young mother.
