Trial dates set for suspects in home invasion

Trial dates have been set for two men accused of holding a group of children at gunpoint during a January home invasion.

Jose Gomez, 38, and 22-year-old Wilson Palacio will be tried separately for their alleged roles in the break-ins. Gomez has a trial date of Sept. 17 set while Palacio will face a jury on Oct. 2.

The pair are both charged with three counts of aggravated robbery over $1,000, aggravated burglary over $1,000 and theft of property over $500.

Shelbyville Detective Brian Crews said that Gomez and Palacio entered a home on Riverview Drive in January through an unlocked back door while the children were on a couch watching television.

Crews also said the two did not expect to find children in the house when they planned to rob it.

As Palacio allegedly held a gun on the children, telling them not to be afraid, Gomez allegedly took jewelry off the victims and from the home, along with their cell phones and a video camera.

The children were told to go into a bathroom and later told police they saw the pair leave in a small, older model green two-door car.

Crews said that the parent of one of the children who were victims of the armed robbery is an independent jewelry dealer and had sold merchandise to the wife of Gomez.

The wife had also worked with the victim's mother in Smyrna, he said. Gomez had allegedly also attended a Christmas party last year with his wife at the victim's home and was identified in a group photo taken at the gathering, according to Crews.

Palacio was arrested by a SWAT team in Nashville, while Gomez was taken into custody by Smyrna authorities.