ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A community is mourning after a young woman was murdered while trying to get her stolen car back. Friday, friends, family and community members held a candlelight vigil to honor 23-year-old Sydney Wilson, at the Smith’s on Coors and Central where she was gunned down. She attempted to confront the group of teens who were in her stolen car. It was a 13-year-old boy, police say, who shot her.
Her friends and family are reeling from the loss. One friend said, “She sent me a snap every day to let me know she was okay. And when she didn’t send me a snap that day, I knew something was wrong. And she will be missed by all of us and she will be missed so much.”
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Wilson was killed on Monday night shortly before 11 p.m., after tracking her stolen Hyundai to the Smith’s on Coors and Central, where the group of teens had crashed it.
When she approached the car, witnesses say 13-year-old Marcos Barela pulled out a gun and shot her. A witness later told police, when Barela was asked why he shot her, he said “I had to, they were yelling.” Barela turned himself in to Albuquerque police two days later.
Friday, dozens gathered in memory of Sydney. The loved ones of Wilson fought back tears as they spoke about how much they miss her. “She was a lovely soul. She touched me so much. I just can’t believe this happened to poor Syd.” Those who spoke at the vigil remembered Wilson as kind and loving, someone who was always giving back to her community through volunteer work.
