CRIME
Four more arrested in fatal July shooting
Men are accused of forcing victim out of smoke shop before chasing and shooting him
Published
Four more men have been arrested in a fatal shooting outside a smoke shop in the International District in July.
Daniel Tadege, Tinh Nguyen, Jose Valenzuela-Ruiz and Brandon Davis are behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in connection with the killing of Dominic Hernandez on July 20.
All four men are charged with an open count of murder, kidnapping and attempting to commit a felony. Nguyen and Tadege face an additional charge of tampering with evidence. Ngyuen is also charged with harboring or aiding a felon.
Another alleged co-conspirator, 36-year-old Charles Richards, was arrested July 22 in connection with Hernandez鈥檚 death. He was taken into custody at a motel and told officers that Nguyen had paid for the room and driven him there after advising Richards to 鈥渇igure things out and get out of town,鈥� according to a pretrial detention motion filed in Metropolitan Court.
鈥淒efendant is trying to assist someone to avoid responsibility for their actions and should not be trusted to follow the rules himself,鈥� said a pretrial detention motion filed in Nguyen鈥檚 case. 鈥淲e don't know to what lengths Defendant might go to assist in this subversion of the law.鈥�
The group is accused of plotting to kill Hernandez as he hid inside the Smoke City smoke shop on Central SE near Indiana after Richards chased him into the shop roughly 30 minutes before the shooting, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metro Court.
One of the men, though it is unclear who, accused Hernandez of stealing $900 and 鈥渄isappearing for two whole weeks鈥� according to a Thursday news release from Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos.
Audio from surveillance footage indicated that, as he ran into the store, Hernandez yelled, 鈥淚鈥檒l get your money,鈥� before stating that another man had the money, the complaint states.
Footage from the store showed the group shoving Hernandez out of the store against his will, the complaint states.
He attempted to run from the group before Tadege swung a crowbar at him and Richards opened fire, according to the complaint.
Footage showed Tadege do a 鈥渇ist pump in excitement鈥� as he ran from where Hernandez was shot, according to the complaint.
Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.
