Rio Rancho family seeks answers after teen is shot and killed

Rio Rancho family seeks answers after teen is shot in the head

A Rio Rancho family is making an emotional plea after a teen was shot and died from his injuries days later.

RIO RANCHO, N.M. – A Rio Rancho family made an emotional plea Thursday night after a teen was shot.

The family of 15-year-old Adrian Maestas is searching for answers about who pulled the trigger.

“He is a beautiful soul, and I don’t know where this leaves our family,” said Tristyn Garcia, Adrian’s sister. “He is your typical teenager he loves his family, he loved football, he’s kind. He is the kind to see you walking and says, ‘I will open the door for you,’ to a complete stranger.”

Maestas left his house to hang out with some friends at around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday. Less than 30 minutes later, after some unanswered texts from his mom, she decided to track his location.

“She found him right there pinned on Inca and Second Street and his location was not moving, he was not responding to any of her messages,” Garcia said. 

On a hunch, she told her daughter to check out where his phone was last pinged.

“My sister pulls up to see all of the ambulance, the caution signs, police everywhere. They said she wasn’t allowed to cross anywhere, and she had to go around to try and get to her house. She calls my mom in a panic, my mom goes and that is when they told her your son was shot in the head,” Garcia said. 

Garcia says her brother was flown to UNM Hospital after being resuscitated twice on scene. For her, the saddest part is knowing he was left there to fend for himself. 

“My brother was left there on the ground when they found him alone, with no one there,” Garcia said. 

Maestas was on life support. However, his family posted on social media Friday morning that he did not make it.

The family still doesn’t know who is responsible. With no leads, they’re pleading with the community to come forward with any information.

If you have any information about this shooting, the Rio Rancho Police Department is asking you to contact Detective Arion Hayes at ahayes@rrnm.gov.