DENVER — A man who was convicted of killing a Denver police officer in 2005 has applied for a program that could make him eligible for early release from prison, sparking outrage from the officer's family and law enforcement community.
Raul Gomez-Garcia was 19 years old when he was convicted of killing Denver Police Detective Donald "Donnie" Young II on May 8, 2005. He was also convicted of seriously injuring Young's partner, Detective Jack Bishop.
According to our partners at The Denver Post, Young and Bishop were working an off-duty security job at the Salon Ocampo social hall for an invitation-only baptism. Gomez-Garcia and a few friends tried to go into the event, but the officers refused to let them inside. They argued, and Young grabbed Gomez-Garcia by the arm and throat and removed him from the premises, according to The Denver Post.
Gomez-Garcia left the area but returned and shot the officers from behind in an ambush, The Denver Post reports. Young was shot twice in the back and once in the head, while Bishop was struck in the back. Bishop was wearing a bulletproof vest, according to The Denver Post, and survived his injuries.
Gomez-Garcia, who was undocumented, fled to Mexico but was later captured. Then-Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey said he was forced to make a deal with Mexican officials to extradite Gomez-Garcia to the United States. As part of that deal, Morrissey could only charge Gomez-Garcia with second-degree murder.
Gomez-Garcia was convicted in 2006 and sentenced to 80 years in prison — the maximum sentence. He will be eligible for parole in 2053, according to The Denver Post.
During a press conference Tuesday, Young's family said they were notified that Gomez-Garcia had applied for a Colorado Department of Correction program designed for people who were convicted of crimes as juveniles and young adults.
The program, which was created in 2016 through the passage of Senate Bill 16-180, was originally intended for people who committed crimes as juveniles. However, in 2021, Colorado lawmakers passed House Bill 21-1209, which expanded the program to prisoners convicted of certain crimes they committed when under the age of 21.
According to The Denver Post, prisoners who complete the three-year program, which includes classes and hands-on lessons on financial literacy, career development, healthy living and technology, are then submitted to the parole board for consideration.
On Tuesday, Young's family and the Denver Police Protective Association (DPPA) held a press conference to denounce Gomez-Garcia's eligibility for the program. The group said his participation in such a program would "undermine justice" for Young's family, the Denver Police Department and the community as a whole.
"The night he did that, he not only shattered my family [but] he shattered the law enforcement community. And this was a crime against society. This is not someone we want back out on the streets," said Young's widow, Kelly Young, "He does not deserve this right. He could possibly be out after 20 years. That is so, so unfair."
Bishop attended Tuesday's event and called Gomez-Garcia's potential release a "travesty of justice."
"I’m 100% against Raul Gomez-Garcia getting any opportunity of seeing daylight until his 80 years is served. There’s no reason he should be out at all," Bishop said. "He needs to sit 80 years. Kelly and the girls are never gonna see Donnie. Raul Gomez-Garcia should never see the light of day outside of bars."
- Watch the full press conference in the video player below
According to a January report by the Colorado Department of Corrections, the department reviewed 97 applications between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2024. Of those, 40 applications were approved and 57 were denied.
Of the 57 denials, nearly half (27) were denied due to "institutional behavior - no positive growth." Eleven were denied due to insufficient time served.
In a response to our partners at The Denver Post, Gomez-Garcia said he has matured in the two decades since Young's death when he said he was a "teenager with a troubled upbringing."
“Over the years, I have come to understand the magnitude of the decision I made that night,” he told The Denver Post in a message from the Limon Correctional Facility. “I’m deeply sorry for the pain I caused everyone involved, and not a moment goes by that I don’t think about and regret what I did. I have been working towards becoming a better person, making better decisions, and reacting in a much more productive manner when it comes to conflict resolution. …I’d just like an opportunity to prove that I’m not the same person I was when I was a teenager, and have a chance to live in a manner that’s deserving of a second chance.”
The DPPA said its members have submitted victim impact statements to the Department of Corrections. It also issued a statement, saying, “The request for participation in this program, which could lead to parole, after such a short time is a betrayal to Officer Young’s memory, his family, and all law enforcement officers. We will not stand by while justice is compromised. We are urging the Department of Corrections to deny this request and ensure Gomez-Garcia serves the full sentence handed down by the courts.”
Denver7's Sydney Isenberg contributed to this report.
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