On a summer day in Des Moines, Iowa, the life of Phillip Allen Gomez, a 25-year-old Hispanic man, was abruptly cut short. On August 14, 2016, Gomez was inside a house on the east side of the city when an argument erupted. He was fatally shot in the chest.
The gathering took a dark turn when another individual at the house, Amber Easley, accused Gomez of being a police officer. This accusation seemingly provoked Alex Marcelino, who was also present.
Eyewitnesses reported that Marcelino angrily confronted Gomez, twice questioning if he was a "cop" before shooting him. Following the shooting, those present, including Carlos Salaises and his girlfriend Wanda Anderson, initially fled the residence. They returned about twenty minutes later and placed a call to 911.
The investigation into Gomez's death led authorities to Alex Marcelino, who was subsequently charged with first-degree murder. The case against him was bolstered by the testimony of eyewitnesses who saw him shoot Gomez. Four months after the killing, a handgun was discovered during an unrelated drug raid at the home of a friend of Marcelino's. State criminalists were able to match bullet fragments from the scene to that weapon, confirming it as the gun used to kill Phillip Gomez.
Alex Marcelino was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder for the death of Phillip Gomez. The legal proceedings revealed the tragic and senseless nature of the crime, stemming from an unfounded accusation in a tense moment. Gomez was remembered by his family as a giving person and a skilled handyman who loved the outdoors, fishing, loud music, and good food. Above all, he cherished his family and friends, and his death left a void in their lives, particularly for his young son.
