Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced today that a Providence man has been sentenced in Providence County Superior Court to serve two consecutive life sentences at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) for the 2022 murder of Angelo Gomez.
At a hearing on July 30, 2024, Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause sentenced Robert Komhlan, age 38, to serve two consecutive life sentences, followed by an additional 25 years to serve at the ACI.
On April 5, 2024, following the conclusion of an eight-day trial, a jury found the defendant guilty of first-degree murder, discharging a firearm while in the commission of a crime of violence with death resulting, carrying a pistol without a license, and possession of a firearm by a person prohibited based on a prior conviction for a crime of violence. The defendant was also deemed a habitual offender and a probation violator on a prior gun conviction, leading to an additional 10 years to serve on the violation.
During the trial, the State proved beyond a reasonable doubt that on April 1, 2022, the defendant shot and killed Angelo Gomez outside Wonderland Gentleman’s Club in Providence.
That evening, the defendant attended Wonderland Gentleman’s Club on Allens Avenue. Surveillance cameras captured him as he exited the club and got into a dark SUV. Continuous surveillance footage across eight exterior cameras showed the SUV driving one block south before turning around and driving back toward the club. As the dark SUV returned to the club, several of his friends approached Angelo Gomez. To distance himself, Gomez began to retreat from them with his back toward the road. As Gomez backed up, Komhlan shot him three times before fleeing in the SUV.
Providence Police extracted video surveillance and several officers identified Komhlan as he exited the club. Subsequently, detectives tried to locate him to make an arrest but he deactivated his cell phone and fled jurisdiction. With coordination from United States Marshals Service law enforcement ultimately apprehended Komhlan in Atlanta, Georgia on June 17, 2022; he was then extradited back to Rhode Island.
Special Assistant Attorneys General Meagan L. Thomson and Edward G. Mullaney of the Office of Attorney General along with Detective Alicia Hersperger and Sergeant Jonathan Primiano of Providence Police Department led investigation and prosecution efforts for this case.