Jurors found Alexander Gomez-Enamorado guilty Friday of two separate counts of murder in connection with the 2010 stabbing death of 54-year-old Miguel Ventura.
Jurors in the case deliberated for approximately one day before delivering their verdict around 3:15 p.m. Friday. Gomez-Enamorado was found guilty of first-degree murder while armed, felony murder, conspiracy, robbery, burglary, tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice.
On Nov. 8, 2010, Ventura was found suffering from multiple stab wounds, lying on the floor of a restaurant he owned in the 1200 block of 11th Street Northwest. Ventura later died at the hospital.
Gomez-Enamorado was arrested over two years later, after calling police the night of the murder to say he had information about the case. Reyes, his friend and alleged accomplice, fled to Mexico.
During trial, Gomez-Enamorado’s defense attorneys claimed Reyes was guilty of Ventura’s murder, and that Gomez-Enamorado had no idea that Reyes was going to stab Ventura. But prosecutors argued that Ventura’s death was a robbery gone awry, a robbery that Gomez-Enamorado planned with Reyes four days before Ventura was murdered.
One of Ventura’s five daughters who attended the entirety of the trial wept in court after hearing the verdict, whispering, “Thank god. Thank you.”
“I’m pleased. I’m very happy,” she said after the verdict. “We cried. We prayed for him, and now my father can rest and be peaceful.”
While prosecutors were able to convict Gomez-Enamorado, Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn Kirschner told Homicide Watch D.C. that Reyes is not off the radar.
“Our next step is to extradite Reyes from Mexico,” Kirschner said.
Gomez-Enamorado is scheduled to be sentenced November 8.
