ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Sometimes, it’s the hardest thing to collect. However, in one deadly case, detectives had plenty of evidence to work with.
Teens took a lot of pictures of themselves with their guns at a party before a murder took place and posted them on social media.
According to a warrant, police identified all the teens in the photo from the party and then used cell phone records of the teens’ social media accounts, and security video from the block to piece it all together.
Now, 19-year-old Jesse Parra and 16-year-old Cruz Medina are being charged for their role in a murder and have been arrested.
“This senseless shooting tragically cut short the life of a promising young teen in our community,” said Chief Harold Medina. “I am thankful for our dedicated detectives who worked diligently on this case to bring justice to Jada’s family.”
The arrests stem from when they were kicked out of the party on La Bajada Road near Pat Hurley Park on the west side. They are accused of opening fire from out in the street and hit Jada Gonzales, who was in the house. She died of her injuries.
The group had reportedly been kicked out for having guns and were ‘booed’ by other teens on their way out. Witnesses said they looked embarrassed and angry.
It was right after that, the gunfire rang out, and Gonzales was killed. Police believe the teens were involved in two other shootings within a couple of hours after the party.
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According to the arrest warrant, a 17-year-old girl threw that party, and her parents were home at the time. Her father is suspected to have fired at the teens’ Dodge Charger from the balcony.