CHARGES ARE UPGRADED AGAINST A 16 YEAR OLD GALLUP GIRL LINKED TO LAST FRIDAY'S DEATH OF AN ALBUQUERQUE MAN. THE GIRL, WHO HAD INITIALLY BE CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY IN THE DEATH OF 51 YEAR OLD MAURICE GONZALES, IS ONE OF THREE SUSPECTS IN THE CASE. THE OTHER TWO ARE 20 YEAR OLD ASHLEE GURULE AND 18 YEAR OLD JENNIFER MCKEE, BOTH OF ALBUQUERQUE.
MCKEE AND GURULE, WHO ARE HOMELESS, WERE ARRESTED LAST FRIDAY AFTER LEADING POLICE ON A CAR CHASE FROM ALBUQUERQUE TO BELEN IN THE VICTIM'S VEHICLE. POLICE SAY THE TWO ALLEGEDLY STABBED GONZALES TO DEATH IN HIS APARTMENT EARLIER FRIDAY, THEN PUT HIS BODY IN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR TO FIND A SUITABLE BURIAL SITE.
POLICE SAY THE TWO SAID THEY WERE TIRED OF LIVING ON THE STREETS. THEY ALSO SAY GONZALES MAY BE LINKED TO A "CASH-FOR-SEX" RELATIONSHIP WITH GURULE AND MCKEE.
