Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) – An Albuquerque man is awaiting his sentence of life in prison after a guilty verdict late yesterday. Houston Coate was found guilty of first degree murder in the killing of Barbara Chavez at her southeast Albuquerque apartment in August of 2024.
Court documents indicated that Coate had gone to the apartment demanding his belongings. The situation became heated and escalated, and Coates fired several shots into the apartment, hitting Chavez in the head and killing her.
Coates is expected to receive a sentence of life in prison, meaning Coate cannot be eligible for parole for at least 30 years.
