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Woman acquitted of murder, convicted of kidnapping in killing of 16-year-old boy
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A jury on Monday convicted 20-year-old Mariana Gomez-Salinas of kidnapping but acquitted her of murder in the 2024 shooting death of a 16-year-old boy at a remote site on Albuquerque鈥檚 West Mesa.
Gomez-Salinas was one of several co-defendants arrested in the May 18, 2024, killing of Jesus Quintana Cota at Parajito Mesa.
An older, unidentified man who allegedly fired the fatal shot remains at large, said Gomez-Salinas鈥� attorney, Christopher C. Marlowe.
The 2nd Judicial District Court jury deliberated about nine hours on Thursday and Monday before convicting Gomez-Salinas of kidnapping, tampering with evidence and conspiracy for her role in Cota鈥檚 killing. But jurors acquitted her of first-degree murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Gomez-Salinas faces a sentence of about 22陆 years in prison. Her sentencing hearing before District Judge Joseph Montano has not been scheduled.
Gomez-Salinas, who was 16 at the time, 鈥渨as used by the boys鈥� to arrange a date with Cota using text and social media messages, which led to his killing, Marlowe said.
鈥淚f she hadn鈥檛 done it they would have killed her,鈥� he said.
A co-defendant, Daniel Medrano Garcia, 19, is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and other charges and is scheduled for trial Dec. 8.
A second co-defendant, Dominik Marquez, 19, pleaded guilty Sept. 9 to first-degree murder, armed robbery, tampering with evidence and two counts of conspiracy and faces a sentencing range of 12 to 22 years in prison at a sentencing hearing scheduled Nov. 21.
Prosecutors said the killing may have been in revenge for an April 1, 2024, incident that was reported to Albuquerque police, according to a criminal complaint filed in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court.
In the April 1 incident, Cota allegedly shot at a white Chrysler 300 that belonged to Medrano Garcia in Northwest Albuquerque.
Sheriff鈥檚 office investigators interviewed Gomez-Salinas, who allegedly said that Marquez and Medrano Garcia asked for her help 鈥渂ecause they needed to talk to him and he was hiding,鈥� the complaint said.
Gomez-Salinas allegedly drove Cota to a location near Dennis Chavez and Atrisco Vista, where he was beaten by Marquez and Medrano Garcia, the complaint said.
The group then picked up an unidentified 鈥渙lder Mexican man鈥� who pointed a rifle at Cota, the complaint said.
They told Gomez-Salinas to drive out to Pajarito Mesa, 鈥渨here they got out and she heard fighting and gunshots,鈥� the complaint said. 鈥淭hey got back in the truck but Jesus (Cota) did not.鈥�
