ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Police have arrested a suspect accused of shooting a man and leaving his body in the road on Albuquerque’s west side. Albuquerque Police Department homicide detectives arrested 22-year-old Estevan Paiz late Tuesday and have charged him with the murder of Emilio C de Baca.
APD reports that Paiz is accused of shooting C de Baca and leaving his body in the road near Western Trail and Unser Blvd last week. Authorities state in a press release that a witness saw the suspect, later identified as Paiz, driving at a high rate of speed on June 16 along Western Trail.
Police state that Paiz reportedly made a U-turn in the median and stopped in the road. The witness then said Paiz allegedly exited the vehicle and started tugging at something from the passenger side of the vehicle.
Police say the witness then saw a body in the roadway and reportedly saw Paiz drive away. Detectives say C de Baca had at least six gunshot wounds and other trauma to his body and say it was clear he was killed somewhere else and then dumped.
Detectives later identified the suspect as Paiz and following additional investigation, located the car Paiz was driving and the gun that is believed to be the murder weapon after it was sold to a pawn shop. The criminal complaint doesn’t list a motive, only that Paiz and C de Baca knew each other and there were drugs involved.
Paiz was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Wednesday morning and has been charged with an open count of murder and tampering with evidence.
