VIRGINIA BEACH, Va (WAVY) — Following the news that an ex-boyfriend had been charged in the death of a missing mother, a local organization is reminding people of the resources available for domestic violence victims.
Lamont Johnson, 41, was arraigned in Virginia Beach court on Monday morning on charges of second-degree murder in the death of Bellamy Gamboa,39, and four counts of contributing to the delinquency, abuse of a child.
However, 10 On Your Side learned through court records that it may have not been the first violent occurrence between the two.
On March 26, 2017, Gamboa filed an assault on a family member charge against Johnson for incidents that allegedly occurred on March 5 and March 7 of that year.
“The dad of my infant twins is continuously threatening me. We argued and he pushed me while I had our baby in my left arm and he twisted my arms,” Gamboa wrote in charging documents about the March 5 incident. “He has bruised me and threatened to kill me. I am afraid he will show up with my key looking for me and harm our infant babies.”
On March 7, Gamboa wrote that Johnson “grabbed me while I called 911 and threw me on the kitchen floor … He threw my phone in the wall causing a hole, a few minutes later the police arrived. I did not press charges as I fear it will make him even angrier.”
Related: Missing mother ‘feared for her life’ before disappearance, family says
About a month later on April 20, 2017, Johnson filed the same assault on a family member charge against Gamboa for incidents that allegedly happened the same two days.
“Bellamy Gamboa assaulted me on two occasions when I attempted to help my 5 month old infants. She slapped me in the face on one occasion and pushed me in my neck on 3/7,” Johnson wrote in charging documents.
A judge dismissed both cases in July 2017.
However Gamboa and Johnson lived together after that time according to police.
While it is not known whether Gamboa or Johnson ever inquired about professional help in their relationship, Katherine Ashford with Samaritan House, detailed many don’t because of fear.
“It can be very scary, it can be terrifying,” Ashford said.
Samaritan House Inc., is a organization that looks to “to foster personal safety, growth and self-sufficiency in adults and their children through the freedom from sexual assault, domestic violence, human trafficking and homelessness,” according to their website.
“By calling our Coordinated Crisis Response Hotline at 757-251-0144 we can provide you with the things you might need,” Ashford said. “Whether it’s housing or victim advocate that might represent you to navigate the court system, children services, counseling. We want to be a resource.”
41 percent of homicides in Virginia are related to intimate partner violence according to Samaritan House.
Ashford said even those not in a abusive relationship themselves can call to get guidance if they know a victim.
“We want to be that hope,” Ashford said. “We let people know they are not alone.”
