DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S UNIT RETURNS 1981 MURDER FUGITIVE TO FACE JUSTICE
Houston -The Harris County District Attorney's Office Fugitive Apprehension Section was instrumental in locating, identifying, and arresting an accused murderer who evaded authorities for over 30 years.
Alfredo Gomez, 63, was charged with the 1981 murder of Jose Rodrigo Aguilera during an argument between Gomez's son-in-law and Aguilera's son. Gomez is alleged to have shot the victim once, walked away a short distance, and then returned to fire again at point-blank range into his chest while Aguilera's wife held him in her arms. Murder charges were filed, but Gomez fled and was never arrested for the offense.
In 1981, the Gomez was charged with the murder, but because his date of birth was unknown, his warrant could not be entered into crime information systems. This enabled him to avoid prosecution for more than three decades. With the formation of the Fugitive Apprehension Section, District Attorney Patricia Lykos sought to capture criminals, who had effectively avoided justice, by actively searching for them and aiding law enforcement with support and information. A DA investigator with the Section determined Gomez's birth date, entered this data into the NCIC system, and located him
in the Houston area living under an assumed name, Alfredo Garcia.
Lykos says that this sends a message to violent criminals. "We will hunt you down. We will never give up."
The District Attorney congratulates members of the US Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force and officers from the Houston Police Department who assisted in the fugitive's arrest and capture. Bond has been raised to $100,000. He is expected to appear in the 185th District Court Friday.