Mom Charged with Murder After Her 10-Year-Old Son Allegedly Shoots Teen Girl Dead in Fight Over Loud Music
Elaina Gomez-VilledaCredit: Albuquerque Police Department
A New Mexico woman has been charged with first-degree murder after her 10-year-old son allegedly shot their 16-year-old neighbor
Police allege that Elaina Gomez-Villeda told her son to retrieve her handgun during a fight with the teenager and her mother over loud music
Authorities are considering whether to charge the 10-year-old boy in connection with the alleged killing
A New Mexico mother has been arrested after a fight with a neighboring mother and her 16-year-old daughter over loud music allegedly led to her 10-year-old son shooting and killing the teenager.
Elaina Gomez-Villeda was arrested on the morning of Sunday, Nov. 11, and charged with first-degree murder while officials explore whether to also charge her 10-year-old son, according to reports by local KRQE, KOAT, and the Santa Fe New Mexican.
Inmate records reviewed by PEOPLE show Gomez-Villeda, 40, was arrested Sunday morning just before noon and has since been held without bond at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center. She’s been charged with first-degree murder and also faces charges for child abuse, conspiracy to commit a felony, battery, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and receiving stolen property in relation to her possession of the firearm allegedly used in the teenager’s killing.
According to records, the incident happened Saturday at an apartment complex in Albuquerque’s International District.
KRQE reported that Gomez-Villeda went over to her neighbor’s apartment to ask them to turn down their music. Citing officials with the Albuquerque Police Department, the outlet reported Keinerlein Rangel, 16, and her mother were allegedly playing music loudly while unpacking boxes in their apartment.
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Gomez-Villeda told police the mother and daughter refused to turn down the music, leading Gomez-Villeda to return to confront her neighbors. This time, police told the outlet, the dispute turned physical and Gomez-Villeda and the neighboring mother and daughter got into a physical altercation.
“At some point in time, a 10-year-old came outside and tried to get his mother out of that physical dispute,” Albuquerque Police Chief Cecily Barker alleged, according to KOAT. “He went back inside and he exited the apartment with a firearm. We know that he fired one round, which struck a 16-year-old who was deceased on scene.”
During the fight, Gomez-Villeda allegedly told her 10-year-old son, who had been trying to intervene, to go inside their apartment and retrieve her handgun, according to police. The boy returned with the weapon and fired one shot, fatally striking Keinerlein, police said, KRQE reports.
KRQE reported that police say Gomez-Villeda then allegedly rushed her son back inside their apartment and texted her husband, “I’m probably going to jail right now,” before calling 911.
According to the outlet, Keinerlein’s father then arrived home, found his daughter dead and rushed over to Gomez-Villeda’s apartment and tried to break inside after he was told her son shot and killed his daughter moments earlier. Gomez-Villeda allegedly told police she fired one warning shot to try and scare off the distraught father.
“I thought we were gonna die,” Gomez-Villeda allegedly told police afterwards, according to KRQE.
KOAT reported that police heard a gunshot go off inside the apartment when officers first arrived at the scene and then saw Gomez-Villeda coming outside with a weapon in her hand. According to the outlet, the APD said one of its officers fired their weapon towards Gomez-Villeda but did not strike her.
She then allegedly dropped her weapon and surrendered to police, according to the outlet.
The 10-year-old boy has not been identified while local officials with the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office navigate how to proceed with potential charges against him because of his age, according to KRQE.
Source: Crime
