Soccer Star’s Killer Finally ID’d
The killer's name is Brandon Paul Gotwalt.
A civil suit filed by the family of Steve Cornejo against Gotwalt, who beat and shot Cornejo in the back in June 2005 in the courtyard of a Fair Oaks apartment complex, goes to trial next week in Fairfax County. Cornejo, who grew up in Falls Church in a family from El Salvador, was unarmed when he was killed.
In the months following the killing, Fairfax County police refused to tell the dead man's family or the media who killed Cornejo or provide any information about the killer, who was never arrested or charged with any crime related to the death. It took about a year for Cornejo's family to learn the killer's name. A Fairfax County grand jury declined to bring charges against Gotwalt. State's attorney Robert F. Horan, a law-and-order man and popular presence in the county for more than three decades, declined to prosecute, and put the case to a grand jury without recommendation. Horan also refused to publicly identify Gotwalt as the killer. The grand jury did not return an indictment.
The civil suit alleges Gotwalt is liable for Cornejo's wrongful death. Cornejo's side says evidence will show Gotwalt initially told investigators he didn't know anything about the killing, then later admitted not only that he was the shooter but that he'd cut up the shirt he was wearing in the act and flushed it, along with the spent cartridge for the bullet that killed Cornejo, down his toilet.
The seemingly preferential treatment Gotwalt received from police following the killing led Cornejo's former soccer coach—the dead man had captained George Mason High School to its first state championship in 2000—to believe the killer must have "something to do with the police, or he's ex-military, or government." Other friends and family suggested similar scenarios. Even on the eve of the trial, the plaintiffs say they still don't know what Gotwalt does for a living. "We asked him in the deposition what his job is," says Corina Menjivar, Cornejo's aunt, "and he said he couldn't tell us. The police are still protecting him."
8:30 am
I remember speaking with you two years ago when all this occurred. Thank you so much for publishing an article which doesn't discard Steve as just another casualty.. a crime took place and Brandon was not punished. Hopefully some sort of justice will be served next week.
9:05 am
Too many unarmed citizens have been badly hurt or killed by "law enforcement" while Horan does nothing. Time for Horan to resign/retire.
10:30 am
The Cornejo family won the suit!
12:42 pm
Steve Cornejo was beating up a woman the night of the incident and then beat up Brandon when he came to see what was happening. Brandon spent a week in the hospital afterward. Report the whole fucking story.
3:40 pm
That is bullshit. I am "the woman" and I'm here to say Steve never EVER "beat" me.
3:45 pm
In addition, there were more than enough articles published previously which claim what you just said to be the truth and that make Steve out to be the bad guy. At least we finally are getting the other side of the story.
4:02 pm
I am a friend of Steve and I got to know him very well. Brandon spet a week in the hospital? that was not reported in the court case... I know that dirty lawyer WOULD HAVE brought that up. I never once heard it. Brandon lied to the police and when asked the following questions:
Did you kill steve?
Did you know the gun was fired?
Did you know steve died?
His response was I DUNNO... I dunno?? wth is that? Fairfax Resident were you even there??
Bsically he want back into his apartment washed his clothes, ripped his shirt and flushed it and the ammunition shell down the toilet, washed then hid the gun and also hid all the ammo in the home.
he knew what he did!! but yet he said "I DUNNO...." let me tell you something... I saw Brandon shake as if he was about to go on cardiac arrest, he knew he was guilty but was soo scared about coming clean.
Besides were you there Fairfax Resident?? There are 2 witness that saw Brandon Paul Gotwalt (the killer of Jack Steve Cornejo) totally abuse Steve. Besides isn't brandon considered a lethal weapon since he is a former military personnel?? He is a crazy individual who deserved nothing but to rott in jail. He should have just SHOUTED HEY THE COPS ARE ON THEIR WAY SO STOP ARGUING.
4:05 pm
Fairfax Resident... who the hell are you anyways?? You are just like that crooked lawyer of Brandon's who proudly and publicy announced that he was "having a great time in this trial" in front of the family and the judge... WOW did he forget his personality was on trial? That guy is scum that lives under scum like you!
6:04 pm
Steve Cornejo was a wonderful person and I am so glad that justice has finally been served...
I am so happy to know that his killer was finally brought to justice. I was thinking about him a few days ago and I found this now.
Shooting someone in the back is NOT self defense. Steve would never hurt anyone. The person who shot Steve Cornejo will get what he deserves... What goes around comes around...
Steve, thank you for being that wonderful person in your time with that you were. I know that you are watching us from up above. I will never forget you...
11:05 pm
To fairfax resident...if he really went to the hospital for a week why didnt he bring that up in court or wait why didnt he have any bruises or cuts on him from that night...you are fucking liar and you dont know shit...he shot and killed my cousin and Brandon Paul Gotwalt is going to pay...wheather it happens here on earth or when he gets to hell or both...but either way he is going to pay...
6:26 pm
There's no need for profanity Fairfax resident. The records and photographs were presented in court. I was there, so were other people. So unless you were sitting in on the trial and looking at the evidence presented by the plaintiff AND the defense, don't speak. He never said one thing about going to the hospital and there were plenty of pictures to back up the fact that the one that was hurt the most was Steve and not Brandon.
6:17 pm
On top of that, even if he did go to the hospital, I saw for myself in that courtroom that Brandon is alive and well and seemingly unaffected by what he did. Steve, however, is no longer here. I would say that spending a week in the hospital is far less of an issue than being innocently shot to death, as Steve was.
12:59 pm
Imagine if you will, being in your home and hearing screams from a young woman in trouble. Should you stay inside and ignore it or should you go and help? Mr Goltwalt chose to go and help and this is where it got him. He saw a woman in trouble and in good conscrience could not let it go, thus told a friend to call the police and took protection for himself and the young woman.
No doubt alcohol was involved , Mr Cornejo had a very high blood alcohol level.. probbaly this is why he was striking this young woman, .
If it were a quiet morning in front of Mr Gotwalts apt, would he have gotten up from bed and went outside for the hell of it. NO Was there a reason he was concerned YES
Is it unfortunate someone got killed YES
Was Mr Gotwalt trying to be a good citizen YES
However I guess this teaches us all to just let it pass when you see someone is in troube and mind your own business regardless of the outcome.
I think its a real shame on all counts, but how about we hear more about Mr Cornejo and what kind of man he really was.
We know the accused has clean record, a military background, was never in trouble before in his life. Lets tell it all if were going to tell the story.
And a word to everyone out there, Hope like hell yoru never being beaten up by a crazy man because if you read what Mr Gotwalts going thru no one will come to help you.
Mr Gotwalt... I'd want you looking out for me.
I applaud you for being a strong and brave individual. You don't deserve this.
11:43 am
Unbelievable you discust me. How can you APPLAUD a man who has killed someone. do u APPLAUD the fact that he left the scene of the crime and left my cousin there for dead and didnt call the police to come help??? or do u APPLAUD thef act that he threw away evidence??? Do you APPLAUD the fact that he beat my cousin with a gun and shot him in his back???? You are a sick fuck and are gonna rot in hell just like gotwalt. Just because he has military backround does not mean he is a good person it just means he has more experience with guns to kill people with. You know what go ahead and ask gotwalt to have your back maybe he'll kill someone again. My cousin was a good man thats why there are articles talking about the kind of person he was and i think its funny that the one story i hear about gotwalt is one of him choking someone and telling hem "i have killed men for less." wow thats something a good citizen would say right?? He has killed and will kill again if no one stop him but we will....hes going to pay for what he did...
6:36 pm
To the family and friends of Steve Cornejo - I hope one day your pain ceases and you begin to heal. I too have lost friends to unfortunate situations - situations that could've been avoided had more level heads prevailed on both sides of the ball. I can understand your anger and rage, and pray that one day you can begin to forgive. I certainly don't mean forget - you'll never forget what your friend meant to you or the times you've shared - but that when you think of Steve, you don't feel the rage and pain you feel now. That you can focus on the positive instead of the anger. I have found that there is a time and place for anger, but if you harbor and hold that feeling too closely for too long, you become consumed by it. After a while, unfortunately you may find that you've spent too much time and energy (that you can't get back) being angry, where it might have been better spent celebrating your friend/family member. I wish you peace and solace.
To Brandon -
It sounds like there is a lot of confusion out there about the real story, and everyone has their own version of it - some firsthand (the girlfriend who was there early on) and good majority of it second-hand from possibly questionable sources. It sounds like new evidence - NOT proof - has been brought up that wasn't there during the original, criminal investigation. I find it hard to believe this new testimony that suddenly arose could be that credible. If this guy was truly that close to the shooting, why didn't he come forward earlier? No doubt the police knocked on his door before. I don't get it. I hope that your life calms down, I hope you find peace, and I hope you know there are people out there who understand there is more to stories than just what the (sometimes biased) media publishes. I count you as a friend, Brandon.
11:26 pm
the evidence wasnt presented on your FRIEND because the police was on his side from the beginning...Daniels was called to the stand by the defense...these men told the truth...what they saw...the images they live with everyday...i APPLAUD them for that...
1:32 pm
Jess -
I am sorry for your family's pain, loss, and suffering. I understand that you are angry, and you have every right to feel those emotions. Everyone involved has gone through a whole spectrum of feelings and will continue, just as you are now. I too have feelings and beliefs, and am merely expressing my support for someone I consider a friend who is going through a difficult time as well.
As I mentioned before, I am sorry for your pain and suffering, and I hope that with time you, your family, and ALL people involved can begin to heal. I continue to keep your family in my prayers.
1:11 pm
Unbelieveable, I applaud for your comment. I knew Steve and he is not the way people(friends and Family) portray him to be. Of course friends and family members will only say nice things about him. But I myself have a few things to say about him. I knew Steve for about 10 years, I went to school with him, I played soccer with him, and we were also co-workers.
I'm sorry to break it to the "family and friends", but Steve was no angel. He did have a temperament. He tought he was better than everyone b/c he look white and had cleared eyes. At times he was racist towards his owm people and was a macho type of guy and degraded women all the time, especially at work.
Of course a lot of people will think that I'm bashing on this guy. I am truly sorry for the loss and I did consider him a friend just like everyone else. But it is not fair that everyone paints Mr. Gotwalt as a murderor and the worst person in this world. Of course he did kill Steve, but he was defending an innocent woman. And trust me, Steve maybe got what he deserve.
I am sorry for the loss and I do thank God that Mr. Gotwalt is going to pay for what he did and I hope that the family would move on.
3:21 pm
Geteven:
you're a phony. your post is almost identical to a post made in March on AristoKat, a blog created by a friend of steve cornejo's. (http://kitatik.wordpress.com/2007/03/14/cornejo-vs-gotwalt-day-3-verdict/#comments). along with the same slurs of the victim, both posts have an identical mix of real sentences at the start and gibberish at the end, as if you're role playing. The earlier post was signed by "jimmy kempsey," who, as far as i can tell, doesn't exist. i would love to hear somebody make a real defense of Cornejo's killer. but if there was a real defense, i think it would have come out in the civil trial. All that came out of the civil trial was a quick, brutal finding that Brandon Paul Gotwalt shot an unarmed man in the back as he was pleading for his life. testimony at the trial shows that your assertion that the killer "was defending an innocent woman" is bogus. but you know that already. your posting history shows you've been following the matter far too closely to believe what you've written.
3:07 am
Get even- what does "get even" even mean? The first thing i would like to point out to you is your last statement "I hope that the family would move on" My family and myself will never move on because we have lost someone so special to us.Its people like you that make things even harder for us to. Dont ever claim that you were a friend of steven. I knew Steven for 18 years and oviously you did not know him after all the ridiculous things you said about him. To us he is and "angel" and for you to say he deserved it...oviously you have never lost someone yourself. if you knew anything about the case the innocent woman she was never beaten or hurt and she testified so herself. Gotwalt himself was a violent man who was aggressive with people on different occassions at parties. But im done trying to explain this to someone who oviously doesnt know anything about it.
9:35 am
Wow.
Steve was an awful person. Just awful. Aggressive and mean to anyone he perceived as weaker than himself. He was a great coward. I believe that he was probably entirely at fault. I think if he had been a better person, he would still be alive.
I for one am very happy that he was shot and killed; and i'm sure that I am not the only one. If i ever meet Brandon Paul Gotwalt, i will shake his hand and tell him I understand. I'm sure that his actions were justified.
Rot in hell Steve. I will piss on your grave when i find it.
~ACC
9:37 am
I'm with you geteven. he was a cunt.
9:40 am
i wish i had learned of his death when it happened and not 5 years later. I would have very much enjoyed expressing my opinions when people still gave a shit.
but alas, he is now just an asshole in the wind.
Damn; i really do wish that i could have been there to see it happen.
11:30 am
It is sad that you can say that for someone to be shot and killed while unable to defend himself is justifiable, no matter how much you may have disliked him.
Five years later, he is still missed. Rest in peace Steve.
10:12 pm
I dated Steve in HS and he wasn't a coward or cunt or whatever else you idiot trolls want to call him. He was a good man. He never laid a hand on any woman including the girlfriend he was with the night he died. He wasn't a saint, but who is? Are any of you perfect? Bottom line is that Brandon Gotwalt KILLED Steve and is damn lucky he got away without any serious reprocussions.
10:14 pm
I still miss you to this day Steve and I'll never forget you.
3:53 pm
I came across the GMHS 2000 class list and ....eventually found out he was murdered. I moved away from Virginia and didnt keep in touch with anyone. I didnt know Steve well, but I am saddened all the same as to way things were handled by the authorities. I cannot believe his murderer was allowed to file for bankruptcy.
My thoughts and prayers go out to Steve, his family and friends.