Within the last seven days, there have been two homicides in the city—one in front of a notorious convenience store on east Central and one in a neighborhood near San Mateo and Gibson SE. There have now been five homicides within city limits so far this year.
The Albuquerque Police Department also arrested the man they said shot and killed another man in November.
Homicides:
On Jan. 17, APD officers received a report of a shooting near the intersection of Central and Pennsylvania NE in the Adam Food Market parking lot. According to an APD press release, the victim of the shooting, Nicole Maldonado died at the scene from the gunshot wound. APD homicide detectives are still investigating..
The following day, on Jan. 18, officers were called to Palomas and Ross SE for a fatal shooting. They found Joseph Alvarez dead. Detectives arrested his girlfriend, 29-year-old Roberta Matinez. She told detectives they had a history of domestic violence and she shot him in self-defense, according to a news release..
Police say Martinez claimed Alvarez struck her with a handgun and was going to shoot her when she fired at him. However, detectives say an eyewitness said she saw the couple arguing but did not see any object in Alvarez’s hands.
Arrests:
On Nov. 12, 2023, Freddie Litton was shot and killed near Charleston and Chico NE. Security camera footage showed a man chasing him with a gun. After Crime Stoppers released images of the suspect, detectives say they were able to identify him as Andrew Ramirez.
On Jan. 20, Ramirez was arrested and charged with an open count of murder.and booked him into the Metropolitan Detention Center.