A Georgia man accused of fatally shooting another man he believed was having an affair with his wife allegedly made a chilling confession to police moments after the attack, which also left two innocent restaurant customers injured.
Daniel Roman-Cortez, 44, was arrested early Sunday, October 25, after gunfire erupted outside a restaurant in Doraville, a suburb northeast of Atlanta.
The victim, identified as 44-year-old Pablo Gutierrez-Gallegos, was found unresponsive outside the establishment along Buford Highway. Despite efforts by responding officers to save his life, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to Doraville police, officers rushed to the busy commercial strip shortly after midnight following reports of shots fired near the 5700 block of Buford Highway.
As officers approached, they spotted a blue pickup truck attempting to leave the area. They quickly pulled the vehicle over and detained its driver, later identified as Roman-Cortez.
What he allegedly told investigators left little doubt about his involvement in the confrontation.
“I shot him, I killed him,” Roman-Cortez reportedly admitted to officers.
Investigators said he later explained that he believed Gutierrez-Gallegos had been sleeping with his wife.
Police have not independently confirmed whether an affair actually occurred, but they believe the accusation was at the center of the deadly confrontation.
Authorities allege Roman-Cortez approached Gutierrez-Gallegos outside the restaurant and opened fire, turning an ordinary night out into a frightening scene for customers nearby.
The gunfire also shattered glass at the restaurant, injuring two people who were seated inside.
Both bystanders received medical attention and were released after their injuries were determined not to be life-threatening.
Meanwhile, officers discovered Gutierrez-Gallegos lying outside the business in the 5800 block of Buford Highway, a short distance from where Roman-Cortez had been stopped.
His death has devastated relatives who say he was a friendly, hardworking man who did not deserve such a violent end.
Gutierrez-Gallegos was originally from Mexico, and his family has launched an online fundraiser to help bring his remains home.
“We are profoundly devastated and broken-hearted,” his sister wrote in a message accompanying the fundraiser.
She described Pablo as an incredibly friendly person who kept to himself and whose death had left an irreplaceable emptiness in the lives of those who loved him.
Roman-Cortez has been charged with murder and six counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to jail records cited by Law&Crime.
He is being held at the DeKalb County Jail without bond.
Investigators have not explained why six aggravated assault charges were filed, despite initial police reports identifying only two other injured individuals. The charges may involve additional people endangered during the shooting, but authorities have not publicly clarified that detail.
The Doraville Police Department is working with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to determine exactly how the confrontation unfolded.
Detectives are examining evidence from the scene and seeking information from witnesses who may have seen the encounter or its aftermath.
Police Chief Deyette said the department is committed to conducting a thorough investigation and pursuing justice for the victim and his family.
The circumstances surrounding the alleged affair remain unclear, including whether the two men had confronted each other previously or whether the shooting followed an argument that night.
Authorities have also not released additional details about the relationship between the victim and the suspect’s wife.
For now, investigators have identified jealousy over a suspected relationship as the alleged motive behind a shooting that claimed one life and endangered people who had no apparent involvement in the dispute.
Roman-Cortez has not been convicted, and the charges against him remain allegations until proven in court.
Anyone with information about the shooting is encouraged to contact the Doraville Police Department at 770-455-1000.
