A man allegedly shot a customer in a restaurant parking lot after accusing him of cheating with his wife

A Georgia man is charged with murder after police say he fatally shot a man he believed was sleeping with his wife outside a restaurant. Daniel Roman-Cortez faces a murder charge and six counts of aggravated assault with a weapon in the death of 44-year-old Pablo Gutierrez-Gallegos, according to Law&Crime. Police say the gunfire also left two customers inside the restaurant injured.

Officers in Doraville, just outside Atlanta, responded shortly after midnight Sunday to a restaurant in the 5700 block of Buford Highway, per a police press release. When they arrived, officers say they spotted Roman-Cortez trying to drive away from the scene in a blue pickup truck. They pulled him over and took him into custody before he could leave the area.

According to police, Roman-Cortez made a blunt admission once he was detained, reportedly telling officers, “I shot him. I killed him.” He later told investigators that he believed the victim was “sleeping with his wife,” police said. Investigators allege he opened fire in the restaurant’s parking lot, where officers later found the victim. Police have not said what kind of weapon was used or how many shots were fired.

Police say flying glass hurt two customers inside the restaurant

Officers found Gutierrez-Gallegos unresponsive with gunshot wounds, and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene. Two customers inside the restaurant were hurt by pieces of broken glass during the shooting, and both were treated and released. Doraville Police Chief Jason Deyette said in a statement that the department is committed to a thorough investigation and to pursuing justice for the victim and his family.

Roman-Cortez is being held in the DeKalb County Jail without bond, and his next court date has not been listed. Police have not said whether his wife was present at the restaurant or whether investigators have confirmed the alleged affair. He is presumed innocent, as the allegations against him have not been tested in court.

Gutierrez-Gallegos was originally from Mexico, his sister wrote on a GoFundMe page. She described the family as devastated and called him an incredibly friendly person who minded his own business and did not deserve to die that way. She added that his death has left an irreplaceable void in the lives of those who loved him.

Buford Highway runs through Doraville and several neighboring cities and is known for its long strip of restaurants and shops, many of them open late. Police have not publicly identified the restaurant where the shooting happened. However, the injuries to two customers inside show the business was still occupied when the shots were fired.

Under Georgia law, a murder conviction carries a sentence of life in prison, life without parole or the death penalty. Aggravated assault is a felony in the state that can bring up to 20 years in prison per count. Prosecutors have not said which penalties they may pursue, however, as the case remains in its early stages.

Shootings tied to family and relationship disputes have played out in parking lots elsewhere too, including a case in which a 77-year-old couple allegedly shot their son-in-law in a Bay Area park. In Doraville, investigators have not released further details about any confrontation that may have preceded the gunfire.

Roman-Cortez is expected to appear in DeKalb County court once a date is set, where prosecutors could lay out more of the evidence behind the murder charge.