Man convicted of murder in fatal Rhode Island strip club shooting

Attorney General Peter Neronha announced today that a Providence man has been found guilty in Providence County Superior Court for the 2022 murder of Angelo Gomez.

On April 5, 2024, following the conclusion of an eight-day jury trial before Superior Court Justice Robert D. Krause, the jury found 38-year-old Robert Komhlan 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 presented as a habitual offender and a probation violator. 

Komhlan is currently being held without bail at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) pending his sentencing hearing to be held at a later date.

“When violent criminals can easily access guns, lives are lost,” said Attorney General Neronha. “Because a gun was readily available to the defendant, Angelo Gomez is dead; his loved ones left behind to pick up the pieces. I am grateful for the jury’s verdict here, which will certainly result in a lengthy and well-deserved sentence for the defendant. And thank you to the Providence Police and the prosecutors from my office for their outstanding work.”

During the trial, the State proved that on April 1, 2022, Komhlan shot and killed Angelo Gomez outside of a Wonderland Gentleman’s Club in Providence.

That evening, Komhlan and other members of the East Side street gang attended Wonderland Gentleman’s Club on Allens Avenue. Surveillance cameras captured Komhlan 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 Komhlan’s fellow gang members approached Angelo Gomez. To distance himself, Gomez began to retreat from them with his back toward the road. As Gomez backed up, Komhlan shot Gomez 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 the jurisdiction. With coordination with the United States Marshalls, law enforcement ultimately apprehended Komhlan in Atlanta, Georgia on June 17, 2022, and he was extradited back to Rhode Island. 

“Gun violence will not be tolerated in our community and individuals who continue to engage in crimes involving a firearm will be held accountable,” said Providence Police Colonel Oscar L. Perez. “I believe that justice has been served in this case, and I am thankful for the lengthy prison sentence that the defendant faces. I want to thank our detectives and the Attorney General’s Office for their tireless work throughout this case.

Special Assistant Attorneys General Meagan L. Thomson and Edward G. Mullaney of the Office of the Attorney General and Detective Alicia Hersperger and Sergeant Jonathan Primiano of the Providence Police Department led the investigation and prosecution of the case.