ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – In 2022, Albuquerque set a terrible record with 120 homicides that year, that was the most investigated by Albuquerque police ever. 

So, how are things looking so far this year? KOB 4 got the breakdown from APD Tuesday. 

“So with today’s homicide on the West Side, this week investigation, we have 46 cases and 47 homicide victims here,” said APD Public Information Offer Gilbert Gallegos.

Albuquerque police released their mid-year homicide numbers Tuesday. According to the department, homicides are down. 

ADP is reporting 46 homicide cases this year with 47 victims. Compare that to 60 homicide victims the year before, and 70 in 2022 when Albuquerque police investigated the most homicides for the department ever. 

“As you saw from the peak of the pandemic till now, it has dropped off. And if we could keep this pace up, you know, we could hopefully be somewhere in the 80s by the end of the year,” said APD Chief Harold Medina. 

According to APD, detectives solved 34 of this year’s cases so far, and they’ve solved 14 more from previous years. 

APD says the biggest motive for homicides is what the department calls individual disrespect, or feuds over minor incidents.  

Officers say what the graphs don’t show is fentanyl is fueling many homicides, especially those involving robberies.

Social media is playing a role in fueling homicides as well, with certain influencers pushing illegal guns sales, and drugs. 

“What used to be tagging an arroyo or building with a game moniker name is now on Instagram with followers. And so we see these influencers also starting to come up in more and more of our gun cases,” said APD Deputy Commander Kyle Hartsock. 

According to Medina, the department is working proactively to get and serve warrants, and get dangerous people behind bars. But he says it’ll take input from lawmakers to really bring our homicide numbers down. 

“Pretrial detention is the big issue that needs to be addressed. And at some point we need to keep the right individual — I think we’ve gotten better at it, but we do have to do a better job at keeping some individuals in custody,” said Medina.

For more information, visit APD’s crime statistics here.