A chilling incident unfolded in Dallas on Wednesday when a man allegedly murdered his girlfriend, upset over her recent abortion, as suggested by court documents.
The accused, Harold Thompson, a 22-year-old, now faces charges of murder for the death of 26-year-old Gabriella Gonzalez.
The couple, believed to be in a relationship, were observed together in a gas station’s parking area the morning after Gonzalez had reportedly travelled to Colorado for an abortion. This journey was necessitated due to the stringent abortion laws in Texas, which have outlawed the procedure at almost every stage of pregnancy since June 2022.
Colorado, in contrast, has one of the most liberal abortion laws in the country, permitting the procedure at nearly all stages without mandatory waiting periods.
According to a police investigator, Thompson was presumed to be the father of Gonzalez’s unborn child, and he was not in favor of her terminating her pregnancy.
CCTV footage revealed a disturbing scene where Thompson engaged Gonzalez in a “choke hold” during their conversation, which she managed to break away from. However, the situation escalated further when Thompson brandished a firearm and shot Gonzalez several times before absconding. Gonzalez was pronounced dead at the location.
Currently, Thompson is being held in Dallas County jail. Court records indicate that he will be defended by state-appointed counsel, though the details of his attorney remain undisclosed.
An outstanding arrest warrant against Thompson, issued in March, was still active at the time of this fatal incident. The affidavit from March doesn’t specifically name Gonzalez, but the recent one from May identifies her as the “victim” in the previously reported incident.
The March document reveals a history of domestic violence inflicted by Thompson on a pregnant woman, presumably Gonzalez, including strangulation attempts and physical abuse.
The victim had previously reported being a target of Thompson’s violent aggression, leading to severe bruising, and expressed fear of him, primarily due to threats against her family and children from a previous relationship. Thompson’s jealousy of the victim’s ex-partner was also noted.
According to court records, Mileny Rubio, Gonzalez’s sister, was an unfortunate witness to the fatal shooting. She shared with local news outlet KXAS that Thompson’s anger was fueled by Gonzalez’s intent to leave him.
The tragic incident came at the heels of a tumultuous four-month relationship between Gonzalez and Thompson, which had recently ended, as per her family’s statement.