Fernando Gomez, 36
El Paso, Texas
October 14, 2013
Agencies: El Paso Police Department Texas
Cause of death: Taser
Last updated: almost 4 years ago
Overview 
An El Paso drag performer died in police custody after police used a Taser on her during a domestic disturbance call on Sunday.
Fernando Gomez, 36, was known on stage as Mercedes Demarco and was known as a role model. A number of younger performers in El Paso have taken Demarco as their last name in her honor. She competed in the Miss Texas at Large pageant.
Another performer described her as trans.
Demarco performed Saturday night at Club Prism in Downtown El Paso. At 4 a.m., police were called about someone screaming outside a motel in the sunset Heights neighborhood.
A witness saw Demarco trying to get into the motel office, which was locked, and screaming for help.
An officer arrived and tried to subdue and cuff Demarco. After a struggle, four more officers arrived. Demarco, who was described by a witness as hysterical, was Tasered, cuffed and put in the squad car. While being transported, Demarco became unresponsive and did not respond to first aid. Paramedics were called but she was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Community and Family Efforts
Additional Resources:
- http://taseredwhileblack.blogspot.com.au/2008/04/list-of-337-people-tasered-to-death-by.html added April 16, 2016 10:12
- http://www.rawstory.com/2013/10/well-known-texas-drag-performer-dies-in-police-custody/ added April 16, 2016 10:09
- http://truthnottasers.blogspot.com.au/2008/04/what-follows-are-names-where-known.html added April 16, 2016 10:07
- http://www.dallasvoice.com/el-paso-drag-performer-dies-police-custody-10159399.html added April 16, 2016 10:07
- https://killed-by-police.silk.co/page/Fernando-Gomez added April 16, 2016 09:58