HAMDEN, Conn. — More than two years after 15-year-old Elijah Gomez was shot and killed while walking home from school on the Farmington Canal trail in Hamden, the man responsible was sentenced to 35 years in prison.
Twenty-year-old Jenigh Ward pleaded guilty to murder back in June, agreeing to the sentence, which comes without the possibility of parole.
“You’ve taken a young boy’s life, and that’s something you’re going to have to live with,” said Hon. Gerald Harmon, a New Haven Superior Court Judge.
Harmon described the murder as senseless, heinous murder.
“Elijah had no criminal record. He didn’t get into trouble. And any murder is a tragedy, but this one is especially heinous. As Elijah was an innocent child of 15 years old,” said Assistant State’s Attorney Gregory Borrelli.
Prosecutors said Ward’s motive is still unknown, with no connection between two individuals and no words exchanged before the shooting.
“Imagine being told that someone you love deeply with everything in your body, a person who was kind and loving and wouldn’t hurt anything, a person who avoided conflict like the plague, and would give everything he had to someone who needed it, imagine someone else feeling empowered and unexpectedly murdering this sweet kid,” said Crystal Cathcart, Elijah’s aunt, during victim impact statements.
Cathcart described her nephew as a bright light who loved being outside in nature, volunteering and sports. She told stories of how he thought of everyone before himself, offering leftovers to those who didn’t have any food.
Over the last two years, she described the turmoil their family has had to endure.
“I’m sad every day. I’m miserable every day. Every day, I don’t want to be here no more. So every time you feel like that, I feel like that too,” said Gomez’s mother, Jennifer Cathcart, as she spoke directly to Ward.
Through the statements, there was a common theme: every loved one of Gomez begged Ward for an explanation.
“I just need to know why. I really do. Even if it’s in private, I need to know why. Okay? You hear me,” Jennifer Cathcart pleaded with the defendant.
It’s something Ward’s own mother can’t explain, as she called the shooting a senseless act of violence.
“Jen, I have no idea what you’re going through. If I could take your pain away, I would. It pains me the most that your son is no longer here because of my son,” said Jennifer Saunders, Ward’s mom, speaking directly to Gomez’s mom.
After all the impact statements, Jenigh Ward read his own. He told Gomez’s family after how he regrets his choice every day.
“Every day, I can’t believe what I’ve done. And I hate to blame it on drugs and substance abuse, but I really don’t know who I was,” Ward said.
He went on to say, “I know I can’t change what happened, I know there isn’t anything I could say to Elijah’s family to take away your pain. I’m just so sorry that I stole a person you love from you.”
Prosecutors said there are two other people who were there at the time of the shooting who have yet to be identified. They said police are working to figure out who they are, and bring the most justice, too.
In the meantime, Gomez’s family has created a nonprofit in his honor. They are well on their way to raising money to “Transform a former Winchester Repeating Arms machine gun test firing range at DeNicola Park in Hamden, Conn. into a healing garden for anyone impacted by violence.”
So far, they’ve raised about $40,000, with a goal of reaching $2 million.
To find out more, click here.
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Julia LeBlanc is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jleblanc@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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