Remorseless Woman Killed Her Daughter In An Act Of Exorcism

Geneva Gomez ’s death was brutal, her mother, Juanita, punched her repeatedly, then shoved a crucifix and a religious medallion down her throat until she began to bleed from her mouth. She was so badly beaten that her then boyfriend, Francisco Merlos, didn’t recognize her when he saw her body.

On the day of Geneva’s brutal murder, Merlos went to her house to rebuild their relationship. The couple were slated to marry, but Geneva broke things off a week prior to the wedding at the behest of her mother. When he arrived at the house, he asked where Geneva was. Juanita directed him to the room where she lay dead.

Merlos attempted to leave after seeing her dead body, but the door was locked and Juanita was in the way. Juanita attempted to keep Merlos inside the house by putting him in a headlock when he attempted to get past her. Fortunately, he was able to escape her clutches, and he fled. Merlos dialed 911 and awaited the arrival of cops.

Officers arrived to find Geneva Gomez posed in the form of a crucifix with a large cross on her chest. Blood was visible, and she had suffered severe trauma around her head and face.

They immediately observed signs of a physical struggle. Officers noted that Juanita's hands were swollen and her arms were covered in bruises, which she explained were from her daughter’s attempts to fight off her exorcism.

Juanita asserted that her daughter was possessed by Satan, and she attempted an exorcism. She informed the police that Geneva spoke in tongues, threatened her, and rolled her eyes into the back of her head the night before. 

No Sign Of Remorse

One of the most disturbing parts of this murder is that Juanita Gomez never showed any remorse or sorrow for her actions. Merlos, the ex-boyfriend of Geneva who discovered her body, reported that Juanita appeared detached and composed.

At her initial court appearance, Juanita did not express remorse but instead complained about the shortage of toilet paper in her jail cell.

The homicide detective who investigated the crime observed that Gomez was "unnervingly" calm and composed during her statement. Juanita cried only as she was returned to the county jail from the courtroom.

Pretense To Escape Justice

In the early stages of Juanita Gomez's case, her team attempted to raise the insanity plea. She was examined by a forensic psychologist, who saw through her deception with ease.

They saw that Gomez "exaggerated her memory issues to appear incompetent." Juanita's defense team swiftly abandoned the insanity defense and instead pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder on the grounds that she did not intend to kill Geneva.

What Made The Case Even More Worrisome

Neighbors and close acquaintances of the mother and daughter Gomez remembered that they were inseparable. They both worked as massage therapists and frequently went to the beauty salon together.

The ex-boyfriend stated that the two were "as close as sisters." Those who knew them were even more shocked by the crime because of their closeness.

Trial And Sentencing

Although Juanita Gomez's trial lasted three hours, the jury reached a verdict in about twenty minutes.

In addition to finding Gomez guilty of murdering her daughter, the jury recommended that she be sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. The presiding judge in the case approved.

Oklahoma City Assistant District Attorney, Suzanne Lavenue said:

"We think it was a just verdict. It was an incredibly heinous murder. The victim suffered quite a bit before her life was ended. The crime scene was horrific. It was obvious that there'd been an extensive struggle all over the house."