Los Angeles – Denver police conceded Monday that leads in Los Angeles are dwindling even though scores of officers continue to hunt there for a man accused of killing a Denver police officer.
“Despite our commitment of resources we still have not located” Raul Garcia-Gomez, said Denver Police Division Chief Dave Fisher. “We have picked up a trail; unfortunately, it is cold.”
More than a week has passed since Detective Donald “Donnie” Young was gunned down in Denver. Detective John “Jack” Bishop was also shot but survived. Fisher declined to say how long officers from Denver would remain in Los Angeles. He said even though leads are dwindling, Garcia-Gomez might still be in California.
The investigation in Los Angeles will continue even if he is not found there because valuable evidence and background information could be used later during a prosecution, Fisher said.
“We are not going to give up,” he said. “Just one phone call can make a difference in this case.”
Garcia-Gomez is suspected of shooting Young and wounding Bishop during a baptismal party early May 8.
Denver police say he fired on the officers from behind after they prevented him from re-entering the party.
Since that time, authorities have searched for Garcia-Gomez in Denver, where he lived, and in California, from where he moved, and are afraid he might try to return to his native Mexico.
Investigators declined to say whether they believe Garcia-Gomez is in Mexico or if Mexican authorities are assisting.
But residents in his mother’s neighborhood said Monday that Gregoria Gomez had dyed her dark hair blond and had cleared out of her house and gone to Mexico. She left after a Los Angeles police SWAT team searched her home and recovered her son’s white Dodge Neon in the backyard.
Neighbor Carmina Barajas described Gregoria Gomez and her family as humble people who would not seem to be involved in anything as serious as a police shooting.
Barajas said she had seen Raul Garcia-Gomez a couple of times over the years and that he liked to play cards into the wee hours of the morning with other family members and friends. She said men, wearing cowboy hats or baseball caps, would drink and play cards at the house, but they never caused trouble or made much noise.
Staff writer Felisa Cardona can be reached at 303-820-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com.
Reward offered
The reward in the case is $100,000. Anyone with information is asked to call 720-913-STOP in Colorado, or in California to call 877-LAWFULL.
