Clarification: In a previous version of this story, KRQE News 13 reported that Jarod McKenzie had been offered a job with the City of Albuquerque. According to a City of Albuquerque spokesperson, that is incorrect. The spokesperson says city staff reached out to the city’s Human Resources Department, which confirmed McKenzie has not been hired by the City. Human Resources is also said to be in communications with the City’s approved temp agencies to ensure McKenzie was not hired through any of those channels.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – He’s facing a trial in a connection to a fatal road rage shooting. That suspect, Jarod McKenzie, has now been offered a job, according to court documents.

McKenzie was arrested after the shooting in June 2022, and even admitted to police he pulled the trigger. The now 21-year-old McKenzie is facing a voluntary manslaughter charge for the shooting.

In an initial criminal complaint filed in the case, Albuquerque Police accused McKenzie of admitting to shooting and killing Joshua Romero in the South Valley. Police say witnesses also saw McKenzie start a fight that ended in gunfire.

Attorneys say McKenzie has been under house arrest since shortly after his arrest. But on Friday, McKenzie faced a judge, asking for a change to his conditions of release so he can leave home to attend work.

A hearing on the matter took place over Zoom on Friday morning. Prosecutors for the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office opposing the proposed changes to conditions of release.

“There is clearly, at least a clear allegation of him being a danger to this community based on the allegations alone,” said Anthony Apodaca, a prosecutor with the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office.

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A representative for McKenzie’s attorney Jason Bowles, Todd Bullion spoke on behalf of McKenzie Friday. Bullion said that since McKenzie was put on house arrest more than a year ago, McKenzie has dealt with money problems and is seeking employment.

“Mr. McKenzie has not worked for slightly over one year,” said Bullion during Friday’s hearing. “Which has caused him obvious financial hardship for anyone who is not working for a long period of time.”

According to a motion filed by McKenzie’s attorney Jason Bowles, McKenzie was “offered employment by the City of Albuquerque after attending a treatment event.” The motion contains no further details about the nature of the employment. However, Judge David Murphy acknowledged a specific “city work program” during Friday’s hearing.

“The city has a work program specifically for people who are on CCP or dealing with any sort of incarceration or probation supervision,” said Bernalillo County Second Judicial Court Judge David Murphy.

Prosecutors objected to the change in McKenzie’s conditions of release, but ultimately deferred to Judge Murphy’s decision Friday. “If we are going to grant something like this after the court already essentially put him on house arrest then we should have regular status conferences at least every month or so to make sure that those conditions are not being violated,” Apodaca said.

Judge Murphy approved the change to McKenzie’s conditions of release at the conclusion of Friday’s hearing. Under McKenzie’s updated conditions of release, he still won’t be able to drive and will only be allowed to leave home for work.

KRQE News 13 reached out to Albuquerque city officials Friday to inquire about McKenzie’s “offer” of employment, including the City Attorney’s Office and the Human Resources Department. We did not hear back. KRQE News 13 also reached out to McKenzie’s attorney Jason Bowles for comment. We did not hear back.

On Saturday, September 2, a spokesperson for the City of Albuquerque said city staff reached out to the city’s Human Resources Department and confirmed McKenzie has not been hired by the City. The spokesperson also told KRQE News 13 that the city’s Human Resources Department is also said to be in communications with the City’s approved temporary employment agencies to ensure McKenzie was not hired through any of those channels.