On the cold night of December 1, 2017, Natlino Gomes, a 31-year-old Black / African American man, was nearing the end of his shift at Peguero's Market on Bowdoin Street in Dorchester, Boston. At approximately 11:45 PM, as he was closing the convenience store where he worked, his life was cut short by gunfire. Pronounced dead at the scene, Gomes became another victim of the city's ongoing violence.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed towards a targeted event, not a random
act of violence. Authorities and community members alike were left grappling with the senseless loss of a man described by friends as "Nat." A makeshift memorial soon appeared outside the market, a somber tribute to a life taken too soon.
As detectives delved deeper into the case, a narrative of gang-related retaliation began to emerge. It is believed that Natlino Gomes was associated with a gang known as NOB/Wendover, and his death was suspected to be part of a violent feud with a rival gang, Cameron Street. This cycle of violence would continue to ripple through the community, with those close to Gomes reportedly seeking vengeance for his killing.
While no individual has been formally charged with the murder of Natlino Gomes, court documents related to a federal racketeering case against the Cameron Street gang have shed significant light on a primary suspect. Eric Correia, also known as "Bubba," a member of the Cameron Street gang, implicated himself and his associates in Gomes's death through a rap video. In the video, Correia made references to the murder and mentioned a specific detail about the crime—that. 40 caliber shell casings were recovered from the scene—a fact that had not been publicly disclosed by law enforcement. Though Correia later pleaded guilty to racketeering charges that included a separate attempted murder, the direct case of who pulled the trigger in the death of Natlino Gomes remains officially unresolved.
