ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — One of the suspects accused in a deadly 2025 shooting near Albuquerque’s Old Town will remain behind bars while his criminal case moves forward.
A judge has granted the state’s request for pretrial detention for 19-year-old Alonzo Cuarenta, meaning he will stay in custody as he awaits trial.
According to investigators, the case stems from a shooting near Rio Grande Boulevard that left Luiz Ortiz dead. Police say Ortiz met with a group of teenagers in a parking lot and investigators believe he had been selling alcohol to the group before an altercation broke out.
Authorities say gunfire erupted during the confrontation, and Ortiz was later found shot to death inside his vehicle.
Detectives allege members of the group fled the scene after the shooting but later returned to remove a firearm and alcohol from Ortiz’s vehicle.
Cuarenta is facing multiple charges, including murder and armed robbery. During a recent hearing, Judge Clara Moran approved the prosecution’s request to keep him detained pending trial.
The case remains active, and other suspects have also been charged in connection with the investigation.
