The suspect in Braulio Gomez’ fatal shooting this summer claimed to be a member of the MS-13 street gang before shooting Gomez in the head for no apparent reason, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley’s office said in court today.

SANTOS PORTILLO (D.O.B. 7/4/90) of Chelsea was arraigned on a murder charge this morning in Chelsea District Court. Assistant District Attorney Amy Galatis of Conley’s Homicide Unit recommended that he be held without bail pending trial; Judge James Wexler granted that request.

Galatis told the court that Gomez and three other men were socializing on the porch of a Central Avenue residence at about 2:20 a.m. on July 16 when Portillo and another man approached on foot. The two groups were unconnected with each other, Galatis said, and there was no prior history between Portillo and Gomez.
After a brief conversation, Galatis told the court, Portillo asked members of the victim’s group where they were from and what “set” – or gang – they belonged to. The men denied any gang affiliations and cited their Puerto Rican heritage.

For his part, Portillo allegedly proclaimed his MS-13 affiliation. At that point, the prosecutor said, he produced a handgun, put it to Gomez’ head, and pulled the trigger. Gomez fell to the ground mortally wounded. Portillo and his associate fled on foot. Gomez was transported to Whidden Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“There was no argument, no insult, and no rivalry between the victim and the defendant,” Conley said. “This was the very definition of a senseless act of violence, and it left a husband and father of two dead for no reason at all.”

In the hours following the incident, Chelsea Police and State Police homicide detectives assigned to Conley’s office launched an intense investigation that included photo arrays from which multiple people selected Portillo’s picture. A search for Portillo was unsuccessful and Suffolk prosecutors approved a warrant for his arrest later the same day.

Portillo was apprehended just outside Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 15. He was held in that state until yesterday, when State and Chelsea police took custody of him and returned him to Massachusetts.
Michael Schultz is the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate. Portillo was represented today by attorney Scott Curtis. He will return to court on Nov. 4.