Judge to sentence man for deadly house party shooting in 2021
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A judge will sentence a suspect who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for a deadly shooting at a house party in August 2021.
Santos Veronica took a plea deal for his role in the shooting. In all, Albuquerque police charged six people for shooting at least 200 rounds into a northeast apartment. The shooting left 16-year-old Gabriel Garcia dead and another teen injured.
Prosecutors also charged Francisco Rodriguez, Dominic Baca, Elton Gastelum, Johnny Lopez and Lawrence Ramirez-Casiquito with murder.
Investigators say the suspects planned on shooting someone else at the house party, but instead shot and killed Garcia.
When the suspects learned they shot and killed the wrong person, police say they joked about who would take the blame in a group chat and considered leaving Albuquerque.
Veronica faces up to 20 years in prison.
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