Albuquerque police arrest suspect in 2020 murder near smoke shop

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Police arrested a man for allegedly shooting and killing someone in the parking lot of a southeast Albuquerque smoke shop in 2020.

Roman Cerna, 27, faces charges for allegedly murdering Chance Elkshoulder in July 2020. It happened in the parking lot of the Dank Smoke Shop, along San Pedro between Zuni and Gibson.

“Upon arrival, officers learned that an altercation occurred between two males who had separately entered and left the shop,” an APD spokesperson said in 2020. “Video revealed the two males exchanged in a short conversation in the parking lot prior to the offender shooting the victim.”

A family member took Elkshoulder to the hospital where he later died. He was only 23 years old.

Police identified Cerna as a potential suspect through tips several months after the fatal shooting. Detectives also developed new information allegedly verifying Cerna as the suspect shown in the video.

Officers tracked him down and arrested him Friday.

Cerna now is in MDC facing a murder charge.