In the early morning at the 1500 Block of Westminster Street at approximately 0300 hours, V1 (YOB 2011) was awaken by an unknown masked male, later identified as EDUART GOMEZ OCHOA [DOB REDACTED], in all black sucking on her foot. GOMEZ OCHOA had entered through an apartment window. V1 attempted to fight the male off when he put his knee on her vagina and rubbed it while holding her down. As V1 continued to try and fight, the male picked her up and threw her against a mirror on her wall. V1’s younger sibling was also present in the room while this occurred and ran to tell their mother who was in another bedroom in the apartment.
The male fled the scene out of the living room window. When police responded to the scene, they interviewed V1, her mother, and her brother. V1’s mother heard commotion; however, she told police that it was not uncommon for there to be loud noises in the building. V1’s brother reported seeing a man in all black leaving out of the window and running southbound on Westminster. Officers collected evidence and recovered a winter hat outside the window and V1 confirmed the male was wearing it. Officers were also able to lift latent prints from the inside and outside of the living room window that GOMEZ OCHOA used to flee.
V1 was taken to Midwest Children’s Resource Center where she was examined. V1 disclosed what happened, and a medical professional collected swabs from V1’s foot. V1’s clothing was also collected. The collected evidence was then sent to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) for testing. On 05/08/2026, testing of the latent prints by St. Paul Police Forensic Services Unit matched GOMEZ OCHOA. On 05/14/2026, the testing came back for the swabs collected from V1’s foot which came back with the major male DNA profile, and the hat at the BCA. Both items hit to GOMEZ OCHOA in the BCA Offender Database of DNA samples.
SPPD issued a pick-up and hold for GOMEZ OCHOA. On 05/17/2026 GOMEZ OCHOA was apprehended. On 05/18/2026, GOMEZ OCHOA was Mirandized and spoke with law enforcement. GOMEZ OCHOA admitted to meeting up with a girl who he stated looked young, but she was in her early 20s. GOMEZ OCHOA stated in the apartment was a woman in another bedroom, a boy in the living room, and in the room with the “young girl” was who he claimed was her daughter. GOMEZ OCHOA admitted to being in the apartment and bedroom with V1. He stated he made out with her, and sucked on her toes, and when she got irritated, they pushed each other, and he “slid” her across the room and because she was so light she went into the mirror.
GOMEZ OCHOA claims he saw a firearm in V1’s dresser drawer and that is why he slid her across the room. After she hit the mirror, GOMEZ OCHOA ran out and left out of the living room window. Investigators showed GOMEZ OCHOA pictures of the apartment which he confirmed he remembered, and a picture of the hat that was found outside which he stated was his as well. GOMEZ OCHOA denies entering the apartment through a window and states he met up with V1 at a gas station and they came in together. Investigators informed GOMEZ OCHOA that no firearm was recovered on the scene and V1 told them she did not know who he was.
