Teens face murder charges in Albuquerque party killing

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Two teens made their first appearance in court Friday afternoon. They are charged with killing a girl at a house party in Albuquerque.

Right now, questions still remain. For instance, will the couple who allowed their underage daughter to throw that party face charges? It’s alleged they were there when the shooting happened.

According to court documents, the trouble started before the teens even showed up, when neighbors called the police to complain about the noise. The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) officers who responded told the people on the balcony to keep it down and left. The department claimed the officers did not see any evidence of underage drinking at the time.

Seven minutes after the officers left, Parra, Medina, and their friends arrived at the home, where police said they took photos of themselves inside flashing guns. Witnesses said the group was thrown out of the party for having those guns.

Court documents said they returned, opened fire on people outside of the party, and killed 18-year-old Jada Gonzales by shooting her.

All the while, the parents of the 18-year-old who threw the party were supposedly there. Police believe they may have been drinking alongside the teens.

Witnesses claimed the girl’s father was seen on the balcony with a gun as Parra, Medina, and their friends were leaving and may have fired it at Parra’s car. That was not the end of the gunplay that night. After the party, Jesse Parra’s car was linked to two other shootings, one near Constitution and Girard and another near Desert Springs and Arenal.

Police caught up with the group at that last scene. They found Parra, medina, another teen, and Parra’s charger, which was riddled with bullet holes. Medina and the other teen ran off while Parra was detained, though he was not charged in connection the Jada Gonzales’s death until more than a month later.

Court documents named at least one other teen in Parra’s car when Jada Gonzales was killed. We asked whether he would face charges, but the police said it’s too early to say. They also stated they are still investigating whether the parents could face charges for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, for allowing their daughter to host an underage drinking party.

That father has the same name and birth date listed in court records as a man who has a lengthy criminal sheet, with convictions for voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, and burglary. If he did have a gun as a convicted felon, that would also be against the law.

Both Parra and Medina are charged with first-degree murder and will remain locked up until trial. Medina is being charged as an adult.