Florida – In a horrific incident in Florida, a 17-year-old boy, identified as B. Gomez, is facing a charge of open murder and will be tried as an adult, according to prosecutors, after fatally shooting a 64-year-old man, identified as W. McArthur, in the back of the head during a ride, reportedly enraged over what he perceived as disrespectful remarks about his mother. The incident unfolded early Saturday morning, May 25, when deputies received a 911 call at 2:24 a.m. reporting a shooting at an intersection.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they found the victim, McArthur, lying in the road with a gunshot wound to the head. McArthur was transported to a nearby hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. McArthur’s vehicle was found about 100 yards north of his body. Inside the vehicle, investigators located blood and bullet holes, confirming that the shooting had taken place inside the car. A witness at the scene told law enforcement they had seen a young man flee on foot, scaling a fence and firing a gun as he ran into the nearby Woodlawn neighborhood.
Officers began a large-scale search, and Gomez was quickly identified as the suspect and later located, where he was taken into custody without further incident. Investigators discovered a sign in McArthur’s car and contacted the ride-sharing company, which confirmed that Gomez had been McArthur’s last passenger. That information led officers to Gomez’s mother’s address. At the residence, deputies recovered clothing stained with what tested positive as human blood. As officers were still on the scene, Gomez reportedly returned to his mother’s home, where he was immediately taken into custody and transported to the county jail.
During a post-Miranda interview, Gomez admitted to killing McArthur, telling detectives that he was drunk during the ride and had become furious after McArthur commented on his intoxication. According to an affidavit, McArthur told Gomez he was “underage and drunk” and added that his mother was “sorry.” Gomez told police that he interpreted the remark as disrespectful toward his mother, prompting him to pull a handgun from his waistband and shoot McArthur in the back of the head. The teen claimed he then dragged the victim from the still-moving vehicle and tried to perform lifesaving measures, but it was too late.
After disposing of the body, Gomez said the car continued to roll down the road until stopping about 100 yards away. While being escorted by police, the teen even led deputies to a set of garbage cans near the crime scene, where he had allegedly stashed the murder weapon. Gomez has been formally charged with one count of open murder and is being prosecuted as an adult, the State Attorney’s Office confirmed. Due to the severity of the charges and the violent nature of the crime, he is expected to face decades, if not life, behind bars if convicted. The community is mourning the loss of McArthur, who had been working as a driver for a ride-sharing company. A fundraiser has been launched to support McArthur’s grieving widow as she navigates life in the aftermath of a senseless act of violence.
