Here’s what we know about the men charged in the murder of Froylan Villegas
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The first of the three suspects arrested for the deadly shooting on Avenida Cesar Chavez and University on Sept. 6 appeared in court Friday afternoon.
Nathen Garley faced a judge who filed a motion for preventative detention and signed the order of transfer.
“He went off to Arizona it appears for a couple of days and then ran into one of my officers. On September the 13th. Headed back from the Phoenix area,” said Troy Weisley, New Mexico State Police Chief.
All three of the suspects involved have a criminal history.
A federal complaint states Garley was arrested in Grants on Sept. 13 for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams of a substance containing fentanyl.
Police have arrested Jose Romero, Nathen Garley, and Daniel Gomez for the killing of 11-year-old Froylan Villegas outside Isotopes Park.
“Not only did Mr. Garley murder an 11-year-old and paralyze another individual, and then flee the state after that cowardly act. He then when he decides to come back, brings 100,000 fentanyl tablets, a poison that back intended to come back to this community very likely could have killed somebody else,” said Chief Weisley.
Garley was arrested again late Thursday, Sept. 21, with the second suspect Jose Romero.
“We both believe they were in the vehicle and as far as charges are concerned, now they’re both being charged with conspiracy to commit murder,” said APD Chief Harold Medina.
As for Romero, he has a minor case out of Sandoval County still pending from 2020 for possession of drugs. He also had a resisting arrest charge that was dismissed and a CYFD escape from custody case that was also dismissed back in 2019.
On Thursday, a separate gun possession charge was filed for Romero.
“Mr. Romero did have a felony warrant for his arrest. And it was related to narcotics dealings, narcotics,” said Chief Medina.
Detectives arrested a third suspect, Daniel Gomez, who they said was named in one of the homicide warrants.
Gomez has had several run-ins with the law, ranging from multiple drug possession charges to receiving a stolen vehicle.
KOB 4 reached out to District Attorney Sam Bregman about how he plans to prosecute the case. In a statement, he said: “Vigorously. The suspects have multiple criminal charges, and we plan on holding them accountable.”