Slain woman was Nevada National Guard soldier

A woman fatally shot last month at an east Las Vegas house party was a member of the Nevada Army National Guard, the organization said.

Graciela Gomez, 22, was killed at a house party Halloween morning in the 200 block of Beesley Drive. Police said five men were “refused entry” to the house, and later drove past the area and fired “several rounds.”

The Las Vegas resident died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen, and her death was ruled a homicide.

Gomez graduated from Las Vegas High School and was a member of the Las Vegas-based 17th Sustainment Brigade, the National Guard said. In a statement, Brig Gen. Troy Armstrong remembered her as an “exceptional soldier.”

“It’s worth noting that she most recently answered the call and displayed great dedication and extraordinary service to her community over the course of the past year while working on the COVID-19 Task Force in Las Vegas helping our state get through the pandemic,” he said. “We are extremely saddened at the news of this tragic death.”

A Gofundme page had raised over $29,000 as of Thursday morning.

Gomez was in the Partnership at Las Vegas, or PAL program in high school, said Robert Bray, who teaches math and business at the school. He remembered Gomez as an enthusiastic student, a go-getter who always came to class with a smile.

“Grace was one of a kind,” he said. “She was just such a lovely young woman. Everybody adored her. You couldn’t find anyone that didn’t like her.”

Police have not yet provided an update on the investigation into her death. Gomez was one of three people killed in Las Vegas over the Halloween weekend.

Contact Jonah Dylan at jdylan@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Thejonahdylan on Twitter.