Fort Hall man pleads not guilty to second-degree murder

Published at 9:45 pm, June 2, 2016

Debbie Bryce, Idaho State Journal

POCATELLO — Demetrius Gomez of Fort Hall pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder in U.S. District Court on Thursday.

Gomez, 29, is accused of shooting 45-year-old Tyrone Diaz in the face with a shotgun on May 9.
According to police reports, Diaz was shot inside a residence in Fort Hall. After finding no one at the residence, officers breached the door and followed a blood trail from the mobile home to a shed where Diaz’s body was rolled up in a rug.

Gomez laughed and joked with attorneys after being led into the courtroom Thursday.

He is being represented by federal Senior Trial Attorney Steven V. Richert, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Dalton served as the prosecutor.

Dalton asked that the contents of a federal search warrant remain sealed, and U.S. District Judge Candy W. Dale granted the request.

Dale set a trial date for July 11. Gomez is being held at the Cassia County jail.

A witness at the scene on May 9 reported hearing Gomez threaten to shoot Diaz before hearing the shotgun blast.

Gomez then allegedly retrieved the keys from Diaz and directed the witness to drive a truck to the east side of the house. Instead, the witness drove to a relative’s home, where they reported the shooting to authorities.

A probation revocation hearing is also pending against Gomez, and a trial date for that charge is set for Aug. 3.

Gomez admitted on April 4 to using methamphetamine. He was also illegally in possession of a firearm and was under the influence of alcohol at the time the shooting occurred. These incidents were all in violation of the terms of Gomez’s supervised release, which began April 1.

This article was originally published in the Idaho State Journal. It is used here with permission.

RELATED CONTENT