By Kevin Hendricks, The Paper.
A Rio Rancho teenager pleaded guilty Monday to first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the 2024 shooting death of an Albuquerque homeowner who stepped outside to stop his truck from being stolen.
According to Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, the teen and several co-defendants were stealing vehicles near Menaul and Adams Street on Aug. 27, 2024, when a neighbor alerted the homeowner that someone was trying to take his truck. When he went outside to confront the group, the teen shot him. As the group fled, they continued firing at the homeowner as he lay on the ground, prosecutors said.
The teen, now 18, was 16 at the time of the shooting and was charged as an adult. Court records show his plea agreement calls for a sentence of up to 30 years in the New Mexico Corrections Department, with up to five years of parole. Because of his age at the time of the offense, he was designated a serious youthful offender and would be eligible for a parole hearing after 20 years if given the maximum sentence. As part of the deal, all remaining counts from the original 11-count indictment — including aggravated burglary and tampering with evidence — will be dismissed.
The case remains pending against the teen’s co-defendants, according to the DA’s office.