13-year-old suspect in fatal shooting turns himself in

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The 13-year-old accused of shooting and killing a woman trying to recover her stolen car is now in custody

The search for the teen started Monday night shortly after the shooting at a gas station near the intersection of Central and Coors. He’s now in the juvenile detention center and is facing charges for murder. 

While the district attorney couldn’t talk specifics on this case, he says his office will aggressively pursue justice. That means holding the offender accountable regardless of age.

“It is shocking, and it’s a gut punch to this community. It makes me sick to my stomach,” said Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman. 

Police say a 13-year-old boy shot and killed a woman after she approached the group of teens accusing them of stealing her car. The teens then ran off.

Three of them were arrested and told APD it was Marcos Barela who fired the gun, and the search began for the teenager.

On Wednesday, police announced Barela turned himself in, and he will be formally charged.

The district attorney says because he is 13, there’s only so much they can do.

“At that age, they’re not going to be charged as an adult. They’re not. The maximum sentence is likely to be until 21. That’s the law,” said Bregman. 

Bregman says the goal of his office is to hold everyone accountable for the crimes they have committed, and they aren’t going to go easy on a person just because they are a child.

“Whether that means spending time incarcerated until you’re 21 or some alternative remedy, whatever that may be, whatever is best is what we’re going to be arguing for at this office,” said Bregman. 

The investigation is still ongoing.