Sanger man and girlfriend charged in shooting death of 16-year-old in Denton

A 19-year-old Sanger man and his 17-year-old girlfriend were charged with the murder of a 16-year-old in Denton.

Just after 11:30 p.m. on Feb. 3, Denton Police and Fire were called to an unconscious person report near Denia Park at Roselawn Drive and Bernard Street. Police say the caller to 911 reported an unresponsive male driver with a visible bullet hole in the vehicle's window.

The 16-year-old victim, Ely Mendez Gomez was taken to a nearby hospital but pronounced dead.

Investigators spoke with witnesses, including the female passenger, 17-year-old Gabrielle Cortes, who was in Gomez's vehicle at the time of the shooting. All witnesses described a suspect in all dark clothing whose face was concealed by a ski mask at the park. Cortesr also reported seeing the suspect with a gun in their hand.

Over the course of the investigation, additional details were discovered that led detectives to identify 19-year-old Marcus Williams as a person of interest in the case. Surveillance footage and other digital evidence led detectives to determine that Williams was following Gomez's vehicle the night of the shooting. 

Recently, Williams was arrested at a business in the 1500 block of W. University Drive. He is currently in the City of Denton Jail with a $500,000 bond. His charge will be upgraded to capital murder when it is filed with the District Attorney's Office

A  capital murder warrant for Cortes was issued the next day (last Thursday). She turned herself in Thursday night and is currently in the City of Denton Jail with bond set at $250,000.

Williams is the boyfriend of the female passenger in Mendez Gomez’s vehicle, according to the release, and the passenger and Mendez Gomez were friends. Police spokesperson Amy Cunningham did not know if Mendez Gomez and Williams were acquainted.

The teenager who was killed leaves behind a family who said he was loved by all who knew him, and he was focused his future and always helping others. He was a student at Denton High School. 

“He was really into music. I used to play with him, the piano, the guitar,” Edras Mendez said to Fox 4 News. 

Mendez is grieving the loss of his younger brother, 16-year-old Gomez. “He had a lot of charisma, he had a lot of friends,” Gomez’s mother, Cindy Mendez, said.

His mother and siblings said Gomez was also athletic, a former football player for Denton High School, before quitting to focus on his dream of becoming an attorney.

“I know my child, he’s a beautiful person,” Gomez’s mother said.

“He’d say we gave it all away to the kids,” Gomez’s brother said. “He was always generous. He was always looking out for everybody.”

Their happy thoughts are mixed with deep sorrow.