New Bedford Man Sentenced in 2023 Killing of Lorenzo Gomes

FALL RIVER (WBSM) — A New Bedford man has been sentenced to at least a decade in prison for his role in the murder of 20-year-old Lorenzo Gomes back in 2023.

Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced that Wyllie Monteiro, 27, pleaded guilty on April 24 in Fall River Superior Court to charges of manslaughter and unlawful carrying of a firearm.

He was sentenced to serve 10 to 12.5 years in state prison.

READ MORE: New Bedford Man Killed in North End Homicide

Details of the 2023 New Bedford Shooting

On July 2, 2023, New Bedford’s ShotSpotter system alerted police to a series of gunshots in the area of Tallman Street and North Front Street. Police arrived to find several spent shell casings and ballistic damage to a parked vehicle.

City camera footage revealed a white Acura and gray Honda Civic were at the intersection at the time of the shooting. The footage also helped police determine the shots came from the back driver’s side of the Civic into the Acura.

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A 911 caller told New Bedford Police that he was on the phone with his friend Lorenzo Gomes, who was in New Bedford, when he heard gunshots and Gomes said he had “been hit.” Gomes was no longer responsive after that. Police pinged his phone and located him in the white Acura at the intersection of Tallman Street and Belleville Avenue, a short distance from the scene of the shooting.

Gomes was found slumped over the steering wheel, suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest and another to his back. He was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

How New Bedford Police Tracked the Suspects

Through the GPS ankle monitor worn by Sterling Robinson, who was the front seat passenger in the Civic at the time of the shooting, police determined that the vehicle was at a Taco Bell drive-thru for about 45 minutes prior to the murder. A Taco Bell employee identified Monteiro as the driver of the Civic, Robinson as the front seat passenger, and Xavier Rodriguez and James Robles as the rear seat passengers.

READ MORE: Second Man Charged in Connection to New Bedford Homicide

Surveillance video showed the Civic drive past Gomes on Acushnet Avenue 23 seconds prior to the shooting. The vehicle then turned to get behind Gomes and chased after him as Rodriguez shot at Gomes multiple times.

Bristol DA Reacts to Street Violence

"The defendant was the driver in the shooting death of Lorenzo Gomes. This was another senseless act of violence that appeared to be spontaneous,” Quinn said. “This street violence undermines people's sense of security in their communities.

READ MORE: New Bedford Man Charged With Murder of Lorenzo Gomes

“The co-defendant, Xavier Rodriguez, was convicted of first-degree murder after a jury trial on March 23, 2026. The defendant has a minimal record and is not a U.S. citizen," Quinn said.