Pregnant Wife Of Soldier In Iraq Shot In Head

ChannelCincinnati ^ | November 16, 2004

[TERMINATTOR]

Police: Suspect Said He Wanted To Kill Someone

WEST MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- A Pennsylvania man is charged with shooting the pregnant wife of a soldier in Iraq, just because -- according to police -- he wanted to kill somebody.

Police said Noel Gomez (pictured, left), 19, shot the woman late Sunday night.

Julia Cook, 21, of New York, remains hospitalized at a hospital in York. She is listed in serious condition after being shot in the head with a shotgun.

Cook's husband is currently serving in Iraq.

Gomez said he didn't know the victim, but was just was looking for someone to kill, according to court papers.

Gomez had his hands and legs shackled as police brought him before a district justice Monday. Police said Gomez, a ninth-grade York city dropout, told them he was planning on shooting and killing someone.

When he saw Cook, who is six months pregnant, walking to her car in the parking lot of a Giant supermarket in West Manchester Township, Gomez allegedly opened fire with a shotgun. Gomez allegedly told police it was his intent to kill her.

"It makes absolutely no sense. There was a real danger of him continuing this beyond what happened (Sunday) night," York County District Attorney Stan Rebert said.

About six hours after the shooting, the suspect's car was spotted a few miles away at a motel along Route 30. Rebert credited York County Detective Matt Millsaps with finding it.

"He just took it upon himself to look at every parking lot and motel, and he nailed him," Rebert said.

According to the York School District, Gomez dropped out of the ninth grade in 2003. A spokesperson said Gomez didn't attend much school.

Rebert said the suspect reminds him of serial killer Mark Spotz. He said if the victim does not survive her injuries, he will seek the death penalty for Gomez.

[knittnmom]

May God heal her and keep her baby safe.

[Ladysmith]

http://ydr.com/story/main/49600

Family of the victim: No hate Of the shooting suspect, they said they're saddened someone could be so troubled.

Julia Cook's father and mother don't hate the man accused of shooting their pregnant daughter in the head Sunday night outside a West Manchester Township grocery store, they said.

Instead, they feel sorry for 19-year-old Noel Gomez.

"We're saddened by the fact that anybody would be troubled that much," said Cook's father, Terry M. Alford of Mannsville, N.Y.

"Certainly we don't hate him. I feel sad for him," he said, standing outside York Hospital about noon Tuesday.

He and his wife, Cathy, were headed to get showers, he said. It was the first time they'd left the hospital since arriving the previous day, Alford said, following with a joke about standing too close to him.

The couple, who've been married for 31 years, were in good spirits. Earlier in the day, their 21-year-old daughter regained consciousness for a short time, opened her eyes, looked up and recognized them.

She couldn't talk because of the tubes in her mouth, but she definitely knew who they were, Alford said.

It's progress, but he knows his daughter's not out of the woods yet. Doctors have warned the family to stay "cautiously optimistic," he said.

As of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Julia Cook was listed in serious condition in the intensive care unit, said Barry Sparks, a spokesman for the hospital.

Alford said he and his family are keeping Julia in their prayers. They feel that her survival has been a miracle.

"We are giving God the glory for this," he said.

They also have faith that Julia Cook will keep fighting for her life and the life of her unborn child.

"She's very strong and very fun-loving. She's a just a wonderful person," Alford said. "She's always been that way."

This morning, Cook's husband, Justin, is expected to arrive in York to be with his wife. Justin Cook, a U.S. Marine who was serving in Fallujah, Iraq, was on the way to Pennsylvania on Tuesday. Family members have kept him informed of his wife's condition throughout his travels, Alford said.

Cathy Alford said her daughter and Justin were married Jan. 17, 2003. They've known each other for about five years, she said.

When Justin went to Iraq in August, Julia moved back in with her parents. She has spent the past few months preparing to be a mother, her father said.

She's expecting a baby boy, her mother said.

The family threw her a baby shower Saturday at their home in Mannsville, N.Y., she said.

Their daughter then went to Dover Township to visit with friends Jessica Hodge and Nikole Carreira. They knew each other from school, Alford said.

According to police, the young women had just left the Giant Food Store in West Manchester Township when Gomez pulled up behind their vehicle just before 10 p.m. and shot Cook.

Police allege Gomez randomly chose Cook because he had set out to kill someone that night.

Gomez faces charges of aggravated assault, attempted homicide, aggravated assault of unborn child and recklessly endangering another person. He is being held in York County Prison without bail.

His preliminary hearing is set for 9:30 a.m. Feb. 24 before District Justice Daniel Garber.

[cookcounty]

The ACLU, who will do nothing for the Marine in Fallujah, already have this guy on their speed dial.

[JesseHousman]

Kill him!

But first, 200 strokes of the rattan cane dipped in brine and wielded by a martial arts specialist.

[JesseHousman]

He probably is and recently recruited.

[JesseHousman]

I like the way your mind works.

[Pajamajan]

Trade him for one of the hostages Zarchawi has in Iraq.

[JesseHousman]

I hope someone reaches out to poor misunderstood Gomez...

and kills him.

[eyespysomething]

Turn him over to her husband.

[Plutarch]

Gomez said he didn't know the victim, but was just was looking for someone to kill, according to court papers.

If a wife is murdered,the general rule is that the husband did it. Well, the husband is in Iraq and thus has an excellent alibi. If someone else does it, it is often found that the perp was hired by the husband.

I am not saying that there is any evidence of such an arrangement here, and I do not think it probable. But it has assuredly crossed the minds of the police.

[Humidston]

A good example of hip-hop, public school drop-out, trash talking, drug-wasted, youth.

Expunge him from the gene pool.

[Down South P.E.]

Turn him over to the Marines in Iraq.

Target practice?

[ladiesview61]

if he wanted to kill someone, why isn't his sorry ass in Iraq killing the enemy....there he could kill till his hearts content, then by any luck, his head would get blown off!...Enough about this scum, i'm gonna pray for this young woman, her baby and her husband...God bless them

[ladiesview61]

if he wanted to kill someone, why isn't his sorry ass in Iraq killing the enemy....there he could kill till his hearts content, then by any luck, his head would get blown off!...Enough about this scum, i'm gonna pray for this young woman, her baby and her husband...God bless them

[ladiesview61]

if he wanted to kill someone, why isn't his sorry ass in Iraq killing the enemy....there he could kill till his hearts content, then by any luck, his head would get blown off!...Enough about this scum, i'm gonna pray for this young woman, her baby and her husband...God bless them

[broadsword]

That was my first thought.

[melbell]

I don't understand our legal system.

Why does there even need to be a trial, or a death of the victim for that matter.

He WANTED AND INTENDED to kill her. Not because she had tried to kill him first, not even because she got on his nerves at work...just because he wanted to kill somebody...ANYBODY. What if that anybody had been me? What if that anybody had been the President??

This guy has ADMITTED what he did and even admitted that he INTENDED to do it. In crimes of passion, you can take mental stability into account, but this was planned murder. And he doesn't even feel bad. And to shoot a pregnant lady when it doesn't matter who you kill...that's even worse.

[broadsword]

What a fu___ng asinine thing to suggest, you jerk! They should turn both this idiot and YOU over to the husband for some reconing!

I can't believe anyone on this form would be suck a pr_ck!

You SUCK!

[GovernmentShrinker]

He said if the victim does not survive her injuries, he will seek the death penalty for Gomez.

Something's way wrong with our "justice" system. If she does survive, we should be sure and execute him promptly anyway. Then we could give the mountains of money we'd save by not coddling this monster for the next few decades, to his deserving victim.

[DannyTN]

Wouldn't that be a coincidence?

Depends on motive.

Probably no religion is immune to having adherents that are not true adherents or who might flip out and turn murderous. Or this guy could be completely irreligious

However, Islamists may very well feel that they are honoring the many Islamist mullah's calls for death to Americans. Hence my question.

As it has been frequently said on these boards. All Muslims are not terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslim. While not an absolute truth by no means, it is hard to point to Christian terrorists. Timothy McVeah of the OKC bombing is frequently pointed to, but there is substantial evidence that he was working with Iraqis.