New Top Ten Fugitive
New Jersey gang member Walter Yovany Gomez, wanted in connection with a brutal murder, has been named to the FBI’s list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, according to FBI Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Newark Field Office Timothy Gallagher.
Fugitive Walter Yovany Gomez marks the 513th addition to the Top Ten list. Gomez is being sought for his alleged involvement in the murder of a of a young man in Plainfield, New Jersey on May 8, 2011.
He should be considered armed and dangerous.
(Learn More, courtesy of the FBI and YouTube)
On the morning of May 8, 2011, the male victim, Julio Matute, was murdered by Walter Yovany Gomez and a co-conspirator.
Both men were identified members of the Plainfield Locos Salvatrucha (PLS) gang, a New Jersey branch of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) transnational gang.
Gomez and his co-conspirator allegedly struck Matute in the head with a baseball bat, sliced his throat, and stabbed him in the back 17 times with a screwdriver, allegedly because Matute was suspected of socializing with a rival gang.
The co-conspirator was subsequently apprehended, charged, and found guilty for the Matute homicide.
Gomez has not been seen in New Jersey since around the time of the murder and is believed to have fled the jurisdiction to avoid prosecution. He has ties to both Virginia and Maryland.
On September 19, 2013, a federal arrest warrant was issued by the U.S. District Court of New Jersey charging Gomez with violent crime in aid of racketeering (homicide) and conspiracy to commit murder in the aid of racketeering.
“Gomez has been charged with a violent and brutal murder which took a young man from his family,” said SAC Timothy Gallagher.
“We are pleased to see him added to the FBI’s list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, and we urge anyone with information related to this horrific crime to come forward. We will never forget and will not rest until Walter Yovany Gomez is located, captured, and brought to justice.”
“Walter Yovany Gomez was indicted for taking part in the ruthless May 2011 murder of a young man and remains the only defendant charged in this case that has not been arrested and convicted,” Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick said.
“I am confident that Gomez’s addition to the FBI’s Most Wanted list will help bring this violent and dangerous fugitive to justice.”
Gomez is known to have used a variety of aliases, to include Cholo, Walter Rios Gomez, Walter Yovany Rios Gomez, and Geovany.
Gomez is further described as follows:
- Name: Walter Yovany Gomez, aka Cholo
- Date of birth: October 3, 1987; October 3, 1988; October 31, 1983
- Height: 5’7”
- Weight: 160 pounds
- Place of birth: Honduras
- Employment: Gomez was known to work in construction, hanging drywall, as well as working in a kitchen
Walter Yovany Gomez replaces Marlon Jones on the FBI’s Top Ten list.
Anyone with information concerning Walter Yovany Gomez should take no action themselves but should immediately contact the nearest FBI office or local law enforcement agency.
The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list was established in March 1950. Since then, 481 fugitives have been apprehended or located; 160 of them as a result of citizen cooperation.
Since its inception, there have been 10 fugitives wanted from FBI Newark placed on the list. In addition, five fugitives that have been placed on the list were arrested in the Newark FBI area of responsibility.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to the arrest of Walter Yovany Gomez.
Please call in tips to 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Tips can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov.
Individuals calling from outside of the United States should contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Additional information concerning Gomez, including his wanted poster and the FBI’s list of Ten Most Wanted Fugitives, can be found on fbi.gov.
