Emotions were high in a California courtroom as a convicted killer faced his victim’s family at his sentencing. The son of the man he gunned down reportedly hurled threats at him, shouting, “That was my dad! Motherf—er! I’m going to f—ing hunt you, and if you come out, I’ll eat your f—ing heart!”
Israel Trevino III, the victim’s son, can be seen on video yelling at his father’s killer, Joe Gomez Jr., after he was sentenced to life in prison for killing Trevino Jr. and shooting Trevino on May 2, 2021. The video was captured by local ABC affiliate KFSN. Gomez is seen giving a thumbs up to a television camera before Trevino III explodes on him.
“You couldn’t take me, huh?” Trevino can be heard screaming. “Huh, motherf—er?”
Deputies are seen on video escorting Gomez to the back of the courtroom as Trevino launches his verbal assault. Following the incident, Fresno County Judge Arlan Harrell reportedly reprimanded Trevino, saying: “You have every right to let it out. Please don’t take it out on the people who are here to do their jobs. OK?”
Gomez, 63, gunned down Trevino Jr., 57, outside his home in Parlier, a city about 20 miles southeast of Fresno, and then shot Trevino in self-defense. Gomez was charged with murder, attempted murder, and assault; he pleaded not guilty.
“The defendant pulled out a firearm, pointed it at Junior,” Deputy District Attorney Nicole Idiart told KFSN during Gomez’s trial in July 2024. “Junior rushed the defendant, at which point he was fatally shot,” she said.
Trevino testified in Gomez’s trial and described nearly dying in a hail of bullets. “I got shot in the belly,” Trevino said. “Twice in the belly, twice in the pelvis, and once in the eye.”
According to Trevino, Gomez drove around the block several times before confronting the father and son, stopping in the middle of the road “to rev [his] engine”.
“He said your grandfather has been talking s— on Facebook,” Trevino III stated, according to KFSN. According to Central California digital news outlet GV Wire, Israel Trevino Sr. stated in court that he does not use social media and has made no threats.
Gomez’s lawyers claimed during his trial that he was “pushed and knocked down” before opening fire.
According to KFSN, defense attorney Tony Capozzi stated, “While he’s being knocked down, his gun is going off.”
Harrell reportedly stated at Gomez’s sentencing that a motive was never confirmed or revealed at trial.
“The big question is, ‘Why?'” The judge said. “It has never been addressed. It has never been answered.
In his final statement to Trevino Jr.’s family and the court, Gomez stated that he intends to “file an appeal with an appellate court,” according to KFSN.
“The defendant, Joe Gomez’s, constitutional due process rights to a fair trial and an impartial trial were violated with suppression of evidence by a state attorney and the conviction of (inaudible) perjury,” Gomez informed the jury.
Harrell denied Gomez’s request for a new trial on Thursday, and he now has 60 days to file an appeal, KFSN reports.
