Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) – The mother of a 10-year-old boy who fatally shot a 16-year-old girl during a dispute between neighbors at an apartment complex over loud music has been charged an open count of murder.
Elaina Gomez-Villeda, 40, was charged Sunday with several other crimes as well by APD invetigators for her role in the shooting death of Keinerlein Rangel, 16.
According to APD, on Saturday, Gomez-Villeda was involved in a physical fight with Keinerlein Rangel’s mother, Susana Rangel, over a dispute about loud music. Susana Rangel said her daughter, Keinerlein, tried to intervene and Gomez-Villeda started hitting the 16-year-old.
Gomez-Villeda’s son, the 10-year-old boy, also tried to intervene. Police say that’s when she told the boy to go inside the apartment and get her handgun. The boy came outside with the gun and fired one shot, striking and killing 16–year old Keinerlein.
Gomez-Villeda took her son inside their apartment and closed the door. She later told detectives that she texted her husband, “I’m probably going to jail right now.”
Gomez-Villeda was who called 911 to report the incident. She later told detectives that she was attacked by her neighbors after she complained about loud music.
She also told detectives that while she was on the phone with 911, a man tried to pull open her door and broke her window. The man, later identified as the father of Keinerlein Rangel, arrived at the apartment after the shooting and was told by his wife that his daughter had been shot.
Gomez-Villeda said she grabbed a gun and shot at the man to make him leave. That’s when APD officers were arriving on the scene and heard the shot and took cover. The woman later told detectives, “I thought we were gonna die; these people, they do it a lot, and I didn’t think I was gonna be the target, but it is what it is.”
Three people exited the apartment, followed by Gomez-Villeda who was armed with a handgun. One officer fired his handgun toward Gomez-Villeda, but the rounds struck a pillar.
The 10-year-old boy is not being identified because he has not been charged with a crime. APD detectives are working with the District Attorney’s Office and state officials to determine potential criminal charges because of his age.
In addition to the murder charge, Gomez-Villeda was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder, child abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, negligently making a firearm accessible to a minor, misdemeanor battery, and receiving stolen property (firearm).
Homicide detectives will continue to investigating the shooting death of Keinerlein Rangel.
The Multi-Agency Task Force is investigating the officer-involved shooting.
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