Soon after I wrote about 13-year-old murder victim Rayjon Gomez's mother, Carmen Gomez, and her extensive criminal record (click here) more than one person asserted Rayjon Gomez had not lived his whole life with his mother. It was reported he'd spent some of his life with a woman who lived in Robbinsdale and acted in the role of foster mother.
It would be very informative to see that custody case court file. For now, I don't have it. However, some interesting information came my way about a family law case naming Carmen Gomez (Rayjon's mother) and a woman from Robbinsdale named Elaine M. Langums...
Is This Rayjon's Foster Mother From Robbinsdale?
The case is Elaine Langums vs. Carmen Gomez, 27-FA-000279144. It was "closed at filing" and no other information shows up. Rayjon Gomez would have been about 4 years old. The case has all the earmarks of a "custody" case. Support cases show up on MNCIS clearly labeled as support cases.
Langums has no criminal record, not even speeding tickets.
She does have a number of civil cases but, most of the time, she's the plaintiff. Two of the cases are clearly labeled "support" cases. Are these for other children she's taking care of? Is she actually related to Rayjon and, if so, how? Did she take in other children, as well?
There's one very interesting condemnation case naming a number of people, some of the names quite familiar to readers of Johnny Northside. Langums appears as a defendant in that case but she's a defendant with A LOT of people, including individuals who have the same surname as Rayjon's father, Kevin Funchie. More on this case in a bit.
Kevin Rory Funchie, Rayjon's Father
Rayjon's father, Kevin Funchie, is not named in the support cases in which Elaine Langums appears as a plaintiff. (Funchie was named as Rayjon's father in a KARE-11 story, here is the relevant quote, below)
Police say two boys riding bikes were shot in north Minneapolis Wednesday night, and one did not survive. 13-year-old Rayjon Gomez was killed Wednesday night, Kevin Funchie, Rayjon's father, tells KARE 11. Funchie said his son was just released from a behavioral treatment program and planning on registering for school Thursday. The fatal shooting is just the latest incident in a tide of violence that is sweeping over the city's near north side.
There is a Kevin Rory Funchie who shows up in MNCIS, born in 7/5/1959. Rayjon's mother, Carmen Gomez, was born in 1956 so it appears to be the right Kevin Funchie who is, in any case, the ONLY Kevin Funchie in the State of Minnesota.
Kevin Funchie has only traffic related charges and no serious criminal record.
What Does A Property Condemnation Proceeding Reveal About These Relationships?
In April of 2002, the same year Langums went to court against Carmen Gomez in what certainly LOOKS like a custody case, Langums was a defendant in a case brought by plaintiffs Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, Minneapolis Community Development Agency and Pearl L. Gomez.
As if to prove the Gomez name is not a coincidence, here's another familiar name. FUNCHIE. It's not Rayjon's father Kevin Funchie, but there's two people named "Funchie," as follows:
James H. Funchie.
Rosemary Funchie, also known as Rosemary Raduenz.
Other familiar names: Slumlord Bashir A. Moghul. Mortgage Electronic Registration Sy (the name appears truncated). Northside Neighborhoood Housing Serv (truncated). There's a total of 29 defendants, including Langums. The case is 27-CV-CD-000002669.
Why Did Rayjon Die?
All indications are Rayjon Gomez had a loving foster mom. Also, based on lack of any meaningful rap sheet, Rayjon's father Kevin Funchie doesn't appear like such a bad guy. So how does Rayjon end up in a "behavioral treatment center" and then, a short time later, dead on the streets? How does Rayjon end up hanging out with the Sticc Up Boys gang?
The answer seems to be that, despite solid efforts by a foster mother early in his life, Rayjon was pulled back into the messed up world of the Gomez family.
I'm particularly interested in what NHS has to do with Bashir Moghul.
ReplyDeleteElaine is my grandmother and Ray'Jon was not a Foster child she was his aunt! But what is your point? He's dead because these little boys get guns and don't know what to do with them.
ReplyDeleteFinaly someone said something
DeleteYou right johnny this 13 yr old boy was capable of killing an shooting a gun as well! Time only tells how long it would have took.
DeleteYeah, it's a whole separate story and I guess the only way to find out is to dig up the court file.
ReplyDeleteTo Ceara Hinton,
ReplyDeleteHe's dead for a lot of reasons but I think the reason you gave is definitely one of the reasons.
Aunties get custody of nieces and nephews all the time. When Momma goes to court ordered treatment, jail, or prison, the kids have to be with an adult. If they can keep them out of the foster system they do. Family is first choice.
ReplyDeleteCeara Hinton, what is your relationship to BETTY Hinton?
ReplyDeleteI don't know a Betty Hinton , there's 2 different Hinton families in MN she might be related to the other one
ReplyDeleteHOW do you dig up a closed court file?
ReplyDeleteI am glad to see that acknowledgement of Ray'Jon's true caregiver, and that the family that he was raised in was not a "criminal enterprise".
ReplyDeleteI do agree that it is very sad that all of these young children have access to guns. The indictment of these two young boys is both joyful, and sad at the same time. Joyful because there will be justice for Ray'Jon, but sad because not only have these two boys taken his life, they have robbed themselves at a chance for life.
I truly believe that until north minneapolis comes together as community, and instead of pointing fingers, work together to clean up our neighborhoods, situations like this will continue to occur.
Beautifully said. Rayjon was a innocent victim and I said this before his name was dragged through the mud. I guess the truth never was the subject matter just defamation.
DeleteNo ones perfect jns. RIP Rayjon thoughts and prayers goes out to you and your family lil bruh!
ReplyDeleteGeeze seems like all it takes is for a young black kid to be killed and all of a sudden they scream criminal ... no worries we will all be judged for our indiscretion
ReplyDeleteRest In Peace RayJon I miss you cousin
ReplyDelete