LAKELAND, FL (May 10, 2024) – On May 9, 2024, at 9:21 p.m. officers were called to a shooting at 1689 Village Center Drive in Lakeland. The caller said he just shot his husband and identified himself as Gavin Miranda, age 27. Officers arrived and found the victim, Hugo Gomez, age 30, deceased in the living room, lying face down on the floor. The Lakeland Fire Department and Polk County Fire Rescue responded and pronounced Gomez deceased at the scene.
Detectives and Forensic Services responded and processed the scene. Miranda claimed the two had been in a physical altercation inside of the apartment in which Gomez choked him. Miranda disclosed he obtained a gun and shot Gomez multiple times. Evidence indicated Gomez was shot once to the front of his body, then after he fell to the ground was shot nine more times in the back. A 9mm handgun and fifteen spent bullet casings were found at the scene.
Based on the evidence discovered thus far, Miranda was arrested and charged with First Degree Murder. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Neal Robertson at [email protected] or 863-834-6971.
Here is an excerpt of the affidavit:
“On May 10, 2024, your affiant, Detective Neal Robertson was assigned to investigate this homicide incident that occurred at 1689 Village Center Drive Lakeland Florida. 33803 This was a domestic incident do to the victim and suspect being married and living together as a family.
On May 10, 2024, at 2141 hours, the Lakeland Police Department received a recorded 911 call from the suspect, Gavin Miranda stating that he just shot his husband/victim, Hugo Alberto Montero Gomez.
Miranda advised they had a physica altercation inside of the apartment. the victim pushed Miranda up against a wall, and started choking him. Miranda disclosed that he went for a gun and shot the victim multiple times emptying the whole clip into the victim(Victim shot the entire magazine of bullets into the victim). Miranda stated that the victim was not breathing, and he placed the firearm on the bed. Miranda Informed the 911 operator that him and the victim have been having marital issues, but this was the first time the verbal altercations turned physical.
Uniformed Patrol Officers arrived on scene, at 2128 hours and the suspect was placed into handcuffs for officer safety. The officers entered the apartment and observed a Hispanic male lying on the floor face down in the living room with multiple gunshot wounds to his back, leg and wrist.
The Lakeland Fire Department arrived on scene and pronounced the victim deceased at 2141 hours.
There were numerous spent shell casings located in the apartment close to the victim and a black in color firearm located in a bedroom on a bed with the slide locked back. A Uniform Patrol Officer read Gavin Miranda his Miranda Rights before he was asked any questions. Gavin Miranda invoked his Miranda Rights and wanted a lawyer present before any questions were asked. Based on the evidence at the scene. Officers placed Gavin Miranda under arrest.
On May 10, 2024, at 0149 hours. the Honorable Judge Dana Moore signed a residential search warrant for 1689 Village Center Drive, Lakeland, Florida. The search warrant was executed on the residential apartment. The 9mm handgun was collected from atop of the bed, 14 spent shell casings were collected, and nine projectile bullets were collected from around the victim. Your affiant counted eleven gunshot wounds to the victim’s body in total. Nine gunshot wounds to the back, one gunshot wound to the wrist and one gunshot wound to the back of the leg.
Based on the facts that the victim was shot nine times in the back while he was lying face down on the floor, which clearly means the victim was defenseless, and there were nine bullet holes through his body and into the floor shows that the defendant, Gavin Miranda was standing over the victim while he was shooting him. The defendant, Gavin Miranda will be criminally charged with first degree murder based on those facts. The Florida State Statute is 782.04 and it is a capital felony.
There was no criminal history documented on Gavin Miranda or the victim.
