SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO
Las Cruces man pleads guilty in fatal road rage shooting
Prosecutor underscores epidemic of youth gun violence at sentencing
LAS CRUCES 鈥 Jonathan Estrada, 19, was sentenced to serve 18 years in prison Thursday over a shooting attributed to road rage that killed a 14-year-old boy.
The Las Cruces courtroom was packed for Estrada鈥檚 sentencing hearing, with spectators filling the gallery and jury box. Many wore T-shirts memorializing Alejandro Roman, who was sitting in the backseat of a car Estrada fired upon the night of June 2, 2025. Estrada鈥檚 family members and supporters were also present.
The incident rocked a city where an epidemic of gun trafficking and firearm possession by teenagers is widely acknowledged, highlighted by community members as well as prosecutors and Las Cruces police.
鈥淭he gun violence in this town is out of control,鈥 prosecutor Spencer Willson said, noting how a bad day and a fit of rage ended in death because an 18-year-old possessed a handgun. The use of a firearm was a factor in the plea agreement and recommended sentence.
The shooting took place at a busy intersection near downtown. Estrada was accused of pursuing the other vehicle after being cut off in traffic, brandishing a handgun and firing several shots into the car, striking Roman and another passenger.
It occurred several weeks after the deadly shooting in Young Park that killed three teens and resulted in murder convictions for four defendants who were between 15 and 20 years old at the time.
Estrada was charged with second-degree murder as well as felony tampering with evidence for allegedly altering his vehicle; shooting at or from a vehicle resulting in death; two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; and unlawful possession of a weapon by someone under the age of 19. He has remained in custody since his arrest in September.
Under a plea agreement that preempted a trial scheduled for the end of the month, Estrada pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. Prosecutors dropped the other charges.
Defense attorney Marie Legrand Miller noted in court that a jury trial may have been complicated by evidence of a 鈥渂latant Miranda violation鈥 at the time of his arrest, when he was allegedly questioned by police for 20 minutes after he had requested a lawyer.
Raw grief permeated the hearing as several witnesses addressed Estrada before his sentence. Some looked directly at him, some cursed him, and some told him 18 years was not a sufficient penalty for the loss of Roman.
The child was remembered in court for his love for his family and toy cars. 鈥淗e deserved a future,鈥 his mother, Samantha Salaiz, said through tears.
Estrada briefly spoke during the hearing, apologizing to Roman鈥檚 family in a soft voice through a microphone at the defense table.
Estrada鈥檚 eligibility for reduced prison time for good behavior is limited to four days per month because the charge is a serious violent offense, state District Judge Conrad Perea said.
Algernon 顿鈥橝尘尘补蝉蝉补 is the Journal鈥檚 southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.