Brawley Man Found Guilty of Murdering Wife, Sandy Fabela, in 2024

EL CENTRO — An Imperial County jury has found Rodrigo Flores Gomez guilty of first-degree murder in the 2024 killing of his wife, Sandy Fabela. The conviction, which includes findings of willful premeditation and deliberation, was reached on July 25, 2025, the Imperial County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Prosecutors said that on February 14, 2024, Fabela obtained a Domestic Violence Restraining Order against Gomez after she and the couple’s 16-year-old daughter submitted declarations detailing 16 years of coercive control, psychological abuse, and physical violence. The daughter wrote that she feared her father would kill her mother. Although the order barred Gomez from coming within 100 yards of Fabela and their three minor children, it was never served.

One Instagram user wrote reacting to the news “Sandy was genuinely one of the nicest people I have ever met. May her family find comfort! ❤️”

On April 12, 2024, police arrested Gomez after he was reportedly seen on the roof of Fabela’s residence. He was charged with possession of methamphetamine and felony resisting an officer with force or violence, then released from custody.

According to trial testimony, the following week, on April 19, Gomez threatened Fabela after she told him she would not allow drug use around their children. The next evening, after a family dinner, prosecutors said Gomez assaulted and strangled Fabela while their infant and 7-year-old son were asleep. The couple’s teenage daughter was in a separate backyard studio.

Authorities say Gomez moved Fabela’s body to her car, abandoned the vehicle in Meserve Park, and deleted security camera footage from their home. The teenage daughter called 911 after Gomez admitted to her that he had killed Fabela.

The daughter asked, "Did you kill my mom?" Gomez admitted, stating he "had" to kill her and that he had moved her body. The daughter immediately called 911.

approximately 30 minutes into the investigation, Gomez confessed to the crimes he was accused of. Gomez was later charged with Penal Code §187 (murder of Sandy Fabela) and Penal Code §273a(b) (child abuse against their daughter). His murder and drug cases were consolidated for trial.

Brawley Police located the vehicle and found Fabela unresponsive. A forensic pathologist testified that her injuries, including a fractured hyoid bone, were fatal. Gomez later confessed to the killing, prosecutors said.

The murder charge was tried alongside a child abuse charge related to his daughter and an earlier drug case. While in custody awaiting trial, Gomez attempted to escape from the county jail by scaling a basketball hoop to reach the roof and approaching the facility’s east gate. His clothing became caught in barbed wire, and he was apprehended. He later pleaded no contest to the escape attempt.

Sentencing for both the murder conviction and escape attempt is scheduled for August 22, 2025, in Department 7 of the El Centro Courthouse before Judge Christopher Plourd.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Kia Harris of the Imperial County District Attorney’s Special Victims Unit.