NC nurse stabbed to death left husband, 4 teens behind. Plea sends killer to prison.

A Durham man will serve at least 24 years in prison for killing a psychiatric nurse practitioner two years ago, Durham County District Attorney Satana Deberry announced Wednesday.

James Robert Gomes, 49, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the Oct. 18, 2022, death of 44-year-old June Onkundi, court records show.

Onkundi, a registered nurse at WakeMed, was working at Freedom House Recovery Center in Durham when Gomes arrived for a medication management appointment, according to a news release.

“Witnesses reported hearing screams and found Gomes standing over Onkundi stabbing her with a knife,” the release said. “Coworkers attempted to intervene and one was able to take the knife from Gomes.”

According to an autopsy report, Onkundi was stabbed eight times, including once in the heart, and died at Duke University Hospital a little over an hour later.

Gomes had been scheduled to meet with her at 2:05 p.m. but arrived around 1:30 p.m., entered Onkundi’s office and attacked her with a kitchen knife, the medical examiner’s investigative report states.

Gomes, a janitor at Merrick-Moore Elementary School, told investigators he had stopped taking medication for schizophrenia “and stabbed Onkundi because a voice in his head told him to ‘destroy’ her,” according to the release.

Charge reduced in plea deal

Gomes was arrested that evening on a charge of first-degree murder, which was lowered to a charge of second-degree murder in exchange for his guilty plea this week, court documents show. His sentence was based on his prior offenses, the release said.

According to the plea agreement, Gomes was previously convicted on charges of assault on a female, second-degree kidnapping and assault by strangulation in February 2021 and charges of attempted first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping in July 2006. Court records indicate Gomes was ordered to receive mental health treatment for at least one of those convictions.

“This was a horrific act of violence that took the life of a generous, bright individual who was loved by her family and friends,” Deberry said in the release. “While this sentence does not bring Ms. Onkundi back, it does ensure that Mr. Gomes is held accountable and demonstrates how seriously the Durham DA’s Office takes violence in our community.”

‘As if it was all a bad dream’

Victim impact statements submitted to the court before Gomes’ sentencing depict the lives shattered by Onkundi’s murder. Each of her four children turned in statements describing their mother as a kind, generous person and pleading for accountability in her killing.

“Some days I still feel as if it was all a bad dream and she is just about to come home after a long shift,” Onkundi’s second-oldest daughter wrote.

Addressing Gomes, she added, “I know you are mentally challenged and because of that I give you my prayers but your illness will never excuse the violence you inflicted on my mother that day and all the women you traumatized before that.”

Now, Onkundi’s husband must raise four teenagers alone, his daughter said in her statement.

In another statement, another of Onkundi’s daughters said her mother loved shopping, cooking and singing and was devoted to her children above all else.

“There are many milestones I’ve had to face without her; milestones she was eager to witness,” the 14-year-old wrote. “She wasn’t just a mom to me, she was a best friend & my biggest supporter.”