A man has been charged after allegedly fatally stabbing a gas station convenience store clerk and injuring another employee in Maywood earlier this week, officials announced Friday.

Kevin Gomez, 25, faces one count each of murder and assault with a deadly weapon, and he faces an allegation that he used a knife to attack Diana “Nelly” Baez and another woman.

The incident was reported about 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, when Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials responded to a call about a man fighting with employees at the ampm along the 4700 block of Slauson Avenue.

Gomez is accused of lunging at 26-year-old Baez and stabbing her multiple times, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

He also allegedly stabbed another employee who tried to stop the attack. The second victim had not realized that Baez had been not only punched, but stabbed, according to investigators.

At some point during the attack on the second employee, Gomez’s blade became detached from the handle, but he “continued repeated stabbing motions,” the Sheriff’s Department said. The second employee survived her injuries.

A vendor and a customer are believed to have held Gomez down and detained him before authorities arrived.

Baez was taken to a hospital, where she later died, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said.
Officials called the incident a “vicious crime,” and the motive remains unknown.

“There’s no rhyme or reason for it. He was just standing there drinking a drink and, then he attacks her for no reason,” Lt. Barry Hall said.

Gomez, described as a transient, is being held on more than $2 million bail.

He was scheduled to be arraigned on Friday and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.