Man bragged he killed someone a day after he shot his 23-year-old girlfriend he had a fight with over infidelity in the back of the head, and then left her body beside her 2-year-old child; convicted
Kentucky – In a harrowing case that shook the residents in Kentucky, a 30-year-old man, identified as J. Thompson, has been convicted in connection with the death of his 23-year-old girlfriend, identified as K. Gonzales, whom he shot in the back of the head, then left her body beside his girlfriend’s 2-year-old child in the apartment for days, and later bragged about the killing. Thompson was found guilty of murder and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon in the 2022 killing of Gonzalez, a young mother who had just begun building her future.
The jury reached their verdict last week, on Thursday, nearly two years after the horrific crime. They recommended Thompson serve 35 years in prison for murder and an additional five years for the firearm possession charge. The sentences will run concurrently, and Thompson will have to serve at least 20 years before becoming eligible for parole. He is set to be formally sentenced on July 2.
On September 17, 2022, Thompson fatally shot 23-year-old Gonzalez in the back of the head. Investigators later revealed that the shooting followed a heated argument between the couple about infidelity. After the fatal shot, Thompson didn’t report the incident. Instead, he left the apartment, abandoning her 2-year-old daughter alone with her lifeless body. It wasn’t until four days later, on September 21, that police officers discovered Gonzalez’s body at the home. The toddler had been in the apartment the entire time with her deceased mother.
Thompson left behind a trail of disturbing digital evidence. Before the shooting, he messaged Gonzalez on social media, warning her that he would kill her and get away with it. Shortly after her death, he bragged in Facebook messages to others, admitting to having shot someone and still possessing the weapon used. He even referred to himself as a “professional.” Following his arrest and the reading of his Miranda rights, Thompson told authorities the shooting occurred after an argument escalated into a physical struggle over the gun. He claimed the gun went off during the scuffle, hitting Gonzalez. But the evidence painted a clearer and more deliberate picture: a cold, targeted execution followed by abandonment and deceit.
The Commonwealth’s Attorney, G. Whethers, condemned Thompson’s actions and the broader issue of gun violence. “The jury found this defendant responsible for taking the life of a young mother and creating a tragic set of circumstances for her family,” Whethers stated. “Gun violence is a scourge on our community in all its forms, and we will not stand for it.”
In the aftermath of the tragedy, friends and family remembered Gonzalez as a kind, loyal, and hardworking woman. Her obituary described her as a “thoughtful person who was always ready to help anyone in need.” She had recently achieved her “dream job” at a local hospital and was pursuing college studies. But her most cherished role was being a mother. The case, marked by callousness and cruelty, serves as yet another grim reminder of the deadly consequences of domestic violence. While justice may have been served in court, the emotional wounds left behind will linger for those who knew and loved Gonzalez.
