Gun used in Austin 2024 murder was linked to other crimes in the area
More details have been released in connection with a murder suspect accused of killing an Austin man just days before Christmas
Juan Carlos Rodriguez-Gomez shot and killed Mario Damian-Rayas in December 2024
Detectives said the gun that was used is linked to several other crimes
AUSTIN, Texas - We are learning more about how investigators tracked down a murder suspect from a case days before Christmas.
Detectives say the gun that was used is linked to multiple other crimes.
The backstory
Mario Damian-Rayas was killed on Dec. 21, 2024.
On March 13, Juan Carlos Rodriguez-Gomez, 26, was arrested and charged with his murder.
Ulises Castro is Damian-Rayas' longtime friend.
"That was just completely relief," he said of the arrest. "At the same time, it made me really mad because I found out that he was denying everything."
Police say Damian-Rayas was shot to death while sitting in his car in an apartment complex on Huntwick Drive. The suspect was seen on surveillance video firing into the car from one side, then the other, before running off.
Damian-Rayas has since been laid to rest in Mexico, where his mother is. He was a big part of the Austin cycling community.
"Finally now we are able to come to a conclusion. We're kind of a little bit more calm and relaxed, but we're still in question. What led up to that situation?" Castro said.
APD says there was no connection found between the victim and the suspect.
"I would love to sit down and look in his eyes and tell him, why you did it?" Castro said.
Big picture view
The arrest affidavit says multiple cartridge cases from the scene were entered into NIBIN, the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. Matches were found for an APD aggravated assault case and UT police deadly conduct case.
In May 2024, on Loyola Lane, a suspect, unidentified at the time, fired shots at a gas station, one of which hit a person's car.
In July 2024, a suspect at UT fired shots in the direction of people who were walking.
The affidavit says an associate of the suspect identified the person in surveillance images as Rodriguez-Gomez.
He is listed as a suspect in a burglary in February 2024. He also has warrants for deadly conduct out of Bastrop County.
Investigators found him in Manor. He was arrested after trying to flee into the woods.
Dig deeper
The U.S. Marshals say he is an undocumented Mexican national.
As for Rodriguez-Gomez's immigration status, Braniff says they will enlist the help of an immigration attorney if necessary.
"If he is undocumented, a conviction could lead to deportation or other immigration consequences. Juan Carlos only knows Austin, so the threat of deportation would be a significant factor in how this case is resolved. This will be something we monitor throughout the pendency of the case," he said.
Rodriguez-Gomez is being held in the Travis County Jail on a combined $1,360,000 bond.
What they're saying
Rhett Braniff, Rodriguez-Gomez's attorney, released the following statement.
"We are actively reviewing the charges against Juan Carlos. He denies these allegations, and we look forward to his trial.
The minimal information provided in the Probable Cause Affidavit will be scrutinized by our own independent ballistics experts and investigators. We intend to investigate and rigorously challenge the NIBIN hit, the surveillance video identification by an unknown witness, and any other evidence the State provides through discovery.
Our investigation is just beginning, and we are confident that we will be able to show the insufficiencies of the State's case when the time comes."
The Source
Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Angela Shen
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