Harrison County grand jury indicts domestic violence abuser in woman’s killing
A Pass Christian man with a history of domestic violence convictions has been indicted on charges of first-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence in the April 26, 2025, killing of his on-again, off-again girlfriend Joyce Gomez, according to court records.
A Harrison County grand jury indicted Brett Huntley Keel, 38, in the case. Gomez, a mother of two and Florida native living in Pass Christian, died of a single gunshot wound.
The search for Gomez began after her father, Orlando Gomez, reported her missing the morning after she failed to return home from her April 25 shift as a bartender at the Whiskey Bar in Pass Christian.
Her father told police that she had recently reconnected with Keel despite having a protection order against him.
Pass Christian police led the investigation following the missing person report. Investigators determined Gomez left the bar with Keel shortly after her shift ended around 10 p.m. and that the last known sighting of her was with Keel at about 10:52 p.m. in downtown Bay St. Louis.
During the investigation, authorities found what appeared to be blood inside Keel’s gray Toyota Tundra, along with a bottle of bleach and blood-stained clothing, according to Pass Christian Police Capt. Ryan Henry.
Police recovered the evidence after confronting Keel at the Cedar Avenue home where he lived. The home is owned by his mother, who did not live there at the time.
In a subsequent search of the property, investigators confirmed the presence of blood both inside and outside the home.
Keel told investigators he picked Gomez up after her shift and that the two went to Bay St. Louis. He said he later dropped her off at the beach on Brown Avenue in Pass Christian and claimed she walked home, investigators said.
Investigators later found Gomez’s body in a wooded area off a dirt trail near West Wittman Road, where prosecutors said Keel was known to spend time hunting with the property owner’s permission.
Authorities allege Keel attempted to cover up the killing by using bleach to destroy evidence on Gomez’s remains that could connect him to the crime.
Keel has remained jailed since his arrest on a total bond of $1.5 million. He also faces a $10,000 bond in Hancock County on an outstanding assault warrant.
Before the killing, Keel had multiple prior misdemeanor convictions for domestic violence and drug-related offenses, according to records.
Keel is scheduled to appear in Harrison County Circuit Court in May for arraignment on the new charges. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison plus 10 years.
This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
