Albuquerque teen shot and killed friend over just $40
Albuquerque's spate of homicides continued as the police in the city were confronted with their ninth victim of the year on Monday, April 2. KOB4 reported that officers were called to the Wyoming Plaza Mobile Home Park at Wyoming Boulevard and Trumbull Avenue around 10 am after they received information that a teenager had been shot.
The perpetrator was initially unknown to authorities, who took five teens into custody for questioning about the shooting. The teens were at the scene desperately attempting to revive the victim, Carloz Rodriguez, but to little avail, as he passed away from his injuries a short while later at the UNM Hospital.
A resident who refused to be identified told the station that she was close by when medical professionals intervened in an attempt to rescue the teen. She said: "I was panicking especially when she said he wasn't breathing. You know, I was panicking. I don't know how long they had been there.
"It wasn't no loud noise or anything. I just happened to glance over and I was wondering why all those kids were out there, and I happened to look down and he was lying there," she continued, stating that she did not know who the victim was either.
While the identity of the teen was initially unclear, police have revealed that it was 15-year-old Carlos Rodriguez. After police conducted extensive interviews and interrogations, one of the five teens was also found to be the killer.
17-year-old Brandon Caballeros was charged with first-degree murder and tampering of evidence in relation to Rodriguez's death. According to a criminal complaint filed at the metropolitan court, police say the senseless act was carried out because the victim owed Caballeros a paltry $40.
A friend, Crystal Holguin, was shocked that Caballeros had killed, and said: "Never thought he had it in his gut to do it. When I found out my heart just dropped. I just couldn't believe it."
The criminal complaint states that investigators learned through the interviews that the group drank beer and smoked marijuana at a mobile home park off Trumbull and Wyoming in southeast Albuquerque the previous night before the shooting.
The next morning, Rodriguez reportedly went into Caballeros' bedroom, where the teen was questioned about the $40 he had taken from the accused. Rodriguez admitted that he could not pay back the money at that moment, prompting Caballeros to shoot him in the chest and fatally injuring him in the process.
A police report stated: "BC asked the victim if he had the $40 that he had previously loaned him. The victim told BC he did not have anything for him. As the victim, CR, was standing near the bed, BC pulled out a handgun pointed at the victim and pulled the trigger, shooting the victim."
The group of teens then carried Rodriguez outside the house and propped him up against a tree to conceal the crime scene. A neighbor reportedly tried to help the teens give CPR and stated he thought the wound 'appeared to have been cleaned and had little or no blood around it."
Caballeros admitted to detectives he hid the .45 caliber handgun in a cinder block wall and that he shot the victim. He is currently being held at the local Juvenile Detention Center and is expected to be tried as an adult in a district courtroom.
The 17-year-old's household was present at the court during his first appearance this past week and were crying as the charges were being read out. It is unclear what kind of punishment he may face if convicted of the crime.
The Albuquerque Journal reported that several family members and friends gathered around a tree near the park's entrance to pay their respects to the fallen teenager and that flowers, candles, and balloons had been put up to mourn his death.
20-year-old Monique Avalos was one of those close friends and grew up with Rodriguez and his sisters in the neighborhood. She said that the teen never failed to make people laugh or smile, adding that he was also good friends with her younger brother and many other teens who lived in the mobile home park.
Joselin Alavardo, who was also a close friend of Rodriguez, similarly said: "I do know he is not my blood, nevertheless it looks like I misplaced my brother, my household, my blood."
Albuquerque Police Department Public Information Officer Simon Drobik decried the homicide and said: "The frustrating part is trying to bring closure to the victims. And I think what's frustrating for detectives is that we know that 80 percent of these crimes, even 90 percent of these crimes, can be cleared with good witnesses."
The District Attorney's Office has asked for the teen to be held in jail until his trial because of the seriousness of his crime as well as his 'history relating to drug or alcohol abuse, criminal history, and record concerning appearance at court proceedings.'