On June 30, 2023, 38-year-old Rosalino Soto Juarez was fatally shot outside El Descanso Bar on Weedpatch Highway in Lamont, California. The incident occurred just before midnight, following a physical altercation involving Juarez and others. Surveillance footage captured the events leading up to the shooting, providing crucial evidence for the investigation.
According to court documents, the confrontation began when Juarez and a friend were involved in a fight outside the bar with another individual and his associate, later identified as Jose Gomez-Rivera. After the initial altercation, Juarez and his friend re-entered the bar. Shortly thereafter, Juarez's friend stepped outside to use his phone and was assaulted by Gomez-Rivera's companion, who grabbed him and threw his phone to the ground. Juarez exited the bar to defend his friend, engaging in a fight with the assailant. At this point, Gomez-Rivera intervened, firing two shots from approximately six feet away, striking Juarez. Juarez was transported to Kern Medical, where he was pronounced dead.
Gomez-Rivera fled the scene with his associate, disposing of the firearm along a dirt road between rows of vineyards on Buena Vista Boulevard. He was apprehended on August 8, 2023, and during questioning, admitted to firing the shots but claimed he did not intend to kill Juarez, stating he looked away as he fired. Despite his claims, Gomez-Rivera was charged with murder and robbery. In April 2024, a Kern County jury found him guilty of second-degree murder with an enhancement for the use of a firearm. Subsequently, in May 2024, he was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for his role in the fatal shooting.
