CRIME
Man accused of killing man in NE ABQ claimed he was 鈥楳ichael the Archangel鈥�
Police: Suspect told smoke shop employee he slit victim鈥檚 throat then took his car
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A man is accused of stabbing another man to death in Northeast Albuquerque on Saturday.
Collin Terrazas, 43, of Albuquerque is charged with an open count of murder and tampering with evidence in the murder of 34-year-old Dante Conley.
Terrazas is at a local hospital after being tased during a SWAT incident at the Cabela鈥檚 parking lot at Journal Center, Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said in an email.
鈥淗e was armed with a firearm at the time,鈥� he said.
Police were able to identify Terrazas through their databases, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.
On Saturday, officers responded to a call of a suspicious person in the 1100 block of Arizona, near San Pedro and Lomas.
Conley鈥檚 neighbor called APD and told them Conley鈥檚 black Lexus SUV was missing and his security camera had been spray-painted over, the complaint states.
When officers arrived, they saw spray paint on the doorbell and pry marks near the lock, police said. After they entered, they found Conley on the floor between the living and dining rooms with stab wounds and a framed object lying on his head, the complaint states.
As officers were leaving, they saw gas stove burners turned on high. On one of the burners was a pan with a glass jar of oil inside, 鈥渓eading officers to believe that someone had tried to burn down the house,鈥� police said.
According to the complaint, officers also found an unused bullet near the front door, a spent casing near Conley鈥檚 body and a gun in the couch. Police said they also saw a bowl with cocaine.
A neighbor told police that between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., he heard car noises and a 鈥渃ommotion,鈥� the complaint states. Then, at approximately 4 a.m., he told police there was a 鈥渓oud bang鈥� that sounded as if 鈥渟omething had fallen,鈥� police said.
At 4:30 a.m., a man told police he was awakened 鈥渂y the sound of a truck hitting the curb in front of Conley鈥檚 home,鈥� according to the complaint. After sitting idle for 鈥渟ome time,鈥� the truck left, police said.
Through a police database, detectives learned Conley鈥檚 Lexus had been parked at a smoke shop in the 900 block of San Pedro, less than 2 miles south of Conley鈥檚 house, the complaint states.
A smoke shop employee told police a man named 鈥淐ollin,鈥� who came in with blood-covered hands, said he cut someone鈥檚 throat before taking their money, firearm, vehicle and setting their house on fire, according to the complaint. The employee told police Terrazas claimed he was 鈥淢ichael the Archangel,鈥� police said.
鈥淎t the time Collin made these statements, there had been no public release of information, and the incident had not yet been discovered by the police,鈥� according to the complaint. 鈥淭his indicates that Collin has personal knowledge about the events surrounding Dante鈥檚 death, and claims to have participated in it.鈥�
Gregory R.C. Hasman is a general assignment reporter and the Road Warrior. He can be reached at ghasman@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3820.
