A Napa County judge has approved the trial of Bryan Gomez, a 22- or 23-year-old Vallejo man, for the September 2025 killing of Salvador Hernandez, a 20-year-old Concord man found dead on Monticello Road. Gomez, who pleaded not guilty to murder and lying in wait, remains in Napa County Jail without bail, according to the Napa Valley Register. The victim’s name appears in records as both Salvador Hernandez and Salvador De Jesus Castillo-Hernandez.
The district attorney’s case relies on GPS, cellphone, and security-camera data detailing Hernandez’s final night. Prosecutors allege Gomez picked up Hernandez from his Concord home between 8:25 and 8:27 p.m. on September 13, then drove him and his girlfriend to Vallejo by 8:57 p.m. The pair spent two hours driving through Napa and Solano counties before stopping on Monticello Road by 10:52 p.m. At 11:08 p.m., the vehicle briefly stopped at the location where Hernandez’s body was later found, coinciding with a report of gunshots from a nearby resident, per the Napa Valley Register.
A Night That Ended on a Rural Roadside
Gomez returned to Vallejo by 11:37 p.m. and later asked his girlfriend for a change of clothes, according to court filings. The couple drove around Vallejo and American Canyon before returning home at 12:42 a.m. on September 14. That morning, deputies discovered Hernandez’s body face down with gunshot wounds to his face, neck, arms, and hands. Investigators recovered five cartridge casings near the scene, and a bullet found in Gomez’s Toyota matched the casings. A Snapple iced tea bottle near the body was linked to Gomez’s DNA, per the district attorney’s office.
A Fake Account and a Changing Story
Gomez was arrested on September 15, 2025, after prosecutors alleged he contacted deputies following their investigation into his whereabouts. He also created a Facebook account impersonating Hernandez, sending friend requests to the victim’s acquaintances and fabricating false stories, according to the Napa Valley Register. Prosecutors say Gomez instructed his girlfriend to leave her phone in the car, which she later told investigators was to avoid being tracked.
More Than 50 Pieces of Evidence
The district attorney introduced over 50 pieces of evidence during a preliminary hearing, including gun-related items and digital data. Judge Mark Boessenecker ruled there was sufficient evidence to proceed with the trial, despite a discrepancy in Gomez’s age and the victim’s name. The case is set for trial, with no date specified in the sources.
