In the early morning hours of November 18, 2023, Richard Veliomni Gonzalez, a 31-year-old man, was found shot and killed in the front yard of a home in the Westside North neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri. Known to his loved ones as 'Rico,' Richard was remembered as a goofy and loving individual who was devoted to his daughter, Athena. He had a passion for music, often writing and rapping his own songs.
Police were initially called to the 1800 block of Mercier Place shortly before 1
a.m. for a report of shots fired, but they did not find a victim or a crime scene at that time. About an hour later, a second call brought them back to the area, where a family member had discovered Richard's body. Emergency medical crews responded and pronounced him dead at the scene.
The investigation into Richard's death led to his own uncle, Gabriel B. Eredia, a 45-year-old Kansas City man. According to court documents, family members told police that Richard had gone to a residence and assaulted his disabled uncle. Witnesses reported seeing Eredia drive up the block before hearing three gunshots. Investigators recovered three shell casings from the roadway.
City surveillance cameras captured images of a black Hummer H2 that witnesses identified as a vehicle Eredia was known to drive. In a significant development, Eredia surrendered to police with his lawyer. A DNA sample was taken from him, and the Kansas City Crime Lab matched it to the DNA found on the shell casings from the scene of the shooting.
Following the investigation, Jackson County prosecutors charged Gabriel B. Eredia with second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and armed criminal action in the death of his nephew. He was taken into custody and held on a $200,000 bond.
