Seattle man sentenced 43 years for murdering ex-wife in front of daughter

SEATTLE - A Seattle man was sentenced Tuesday to 43 years in prison for murdering his ex-wife in front of their daughter in Oct. 2020.

The King County Superior Court announced Wednesday that 61-year-old Juan Flores-Gomez, also known as Jean-Pierre Flores Gomez, was sentenced for first-degree murder with domestic violence and hate crime penalties.

According to court documents, Flores-Gomez showed up at his ex-wife's apartment unannounced the morning of Oct. 8, 2020, in Seattle's University District.

He had learned his ex-wife, whom he had separated from years prior, was now dating a Black man, which infuriated him, court docs say. He arrived that morning and begged his ex-wife to take him back, while their 11-year-old daughter was upstairs. The ex-wife's boyfriend was upstairs, as well.

She repeatedly told him no and to leave her home, court docs say.

The two spoke for some time, according to court documents, when Flores-Gomez finally said he would leave, but wanted a glass of water first. Surveillance video reportedly captured the two walking to the kitchen area, when Flores-Gomez went to the knife block on the counter, grabbed a knife and began stabbing his ex-wife.

Court docs say their daughter ran downstairs and screamed "Mommy!" She is seen on video trying to pull her dad away from her mom.

During the commotion, the mother's boyfriend came downstairs with a handgun and ordered Flores-Gomez to drop the knife or he would shoot him.

The boyfriend detained Flores-Gomez and told the daughter to put pressure on her mother's wounds. Court docs say he yelled for someone to call 911.

The woman was declared dead when police arrived, and an autopsy conducted the following day determined she suffered more than 10 lethal stab wounds.

Seattle Crime and Public Safety