Matthew Davis was shot after confronting disorderly conduct outside the restaurant.
KEENE, Texas — A 13-year-old boy was sentenced to 12 years in custody for killing Sonic employee Matthew Davis, closing the juvenile phase of a case that began with a fight outside a Johnson County restaurant.
The boy was 12 when police said he shot Davis with an AR-style rifle on May 13, 2023. His name was not made public because he was handled in juvenile court. A jury found that he engaged in delinquent conduct, the juvenile equivalent of a murder conviction.
Investigators said Davis, 32, walked outside the Sonic after Angel Gomez began urinating in the parking lot. The two men argued, then fought. Police said the boy was in Gomez’s vehicle before he got out with the rifle and fired several shots at Davis. Multiple people called 911 as the shooting unfolded near closing time.
Davis was flown to a hospital and died from his injuries. Gomez and the boy left the restaurant, police said. Gomez later returned and was arrested. Officers found the boy in Rio Vista, a nearby community, and took him into custody. Police said several firearms were found at the location.
The sentence ordered the boy into the custody of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. Under the order, he could later be moved to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The punishment followed evidentiary hearings after the jury’s delinquency finding.
The shooting shook Keene, a small city south of Fort Worth. Residents placed flowers, a cross and other items outside the restaurant for Davis. Family members said he had recently moved to Keene, had started working at Sonic and left behind a fiancée and a 10-year-old son.
The adult cases added another layer to the shooting. Gomez faced charges tied to the events after the gunfire. In 2025, Ashley Marmolejo Gomez pleaded guilty to murder after police said she handed the rifle to the child and told him to act as Gomez fought Davis. She received a 25-year prison sentence.
Authorities have not publicly released every detail about the juvenile’s placement or any later transfer decision. The known court record leaves the boy serving a 12-year term while the adult sentence against Marmolejo Gomez stands separately.
Author note: Last updated May 9, 2026.