Homero Gómez González

Personal life Gómez resided in Ocampo, Michoacán, with his wife, Rebeca Valencia González. They had at least one son. His brother stated he was last seen on 13 January at a fair with Ocampo mayor, Roberto Arriaga Colín and other municipal officials. His family reported him missing the next day. Over 200 volunteers joined the search for Gómez. The entire police force of Ocampo and Angangueo were detained for questioning. Because of his work combating illegal logging, and because Raúl Hernández Romero—another activist connected to the butterfly sanctuary—was also found dead a few days later, it has been speculated that he was targeted by organized criminals. State prosecutor, Adrián López Solís reported that robbery does not appear to be a motive as nearly US$500 (more than 10,000 pesos) in cash was found on Gómez's body.

Shortly after Gómez's body was recovered, the body of Raúl Hernández Romero was found. Hernández was a tour guide at the same reserve as Gómez; it is unknown if the two deaths are connected. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador called Gómez's death "regrettable" and "painful".

In Germany, the first "flower field passage" against species extinction was named "González Romero Blühwiesenkorridor - Blumiger Landkreis Osnabrück" (also as a tribute to the environment activist Raúl Hernández Romero)

The deaths of Gómez and Hernandez led to calls for better protection of environmental defenders.