APD dips back below yearly homicide record
Aug. 10—ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The Albuquerque Police Department said it has determined that one of the homicides it was investigating is now being considered self-defense — so it will not count toward the reported total.
That means the city has dipped to just below its highest number of yearly homicides. It has also now seen six homicides that were determined to be in self-defense.
Although APD reports homicides to the public as they are called to the scene, they have said that the total changes as detectives investigate or get more information from the Office of the Medical Investigator that makes a case an accident, justified or an overdose.
There have now been 80 suspected homicides in the city — 78 of which were investigated by APD and two investigated by the New Mexico State Police. In 2019, there were 81 — 80 investigated by APD and one investigated by the FBI.
Gilbert Gallegos, an APD spokesman, said detectives determined that Richard Castillo, 37, who was killed at an apartment complex on the 6000 block of Anderson SE on July 31 was shot in self-defense.
"The resident of the apartment shot an armed intruder in self-defense," Gallegos said.
He said the case is nearing completion and will be forwarded to the 2nd Judicial District Attorney's Office, who will make the final determination.
Gallegos also identified three other men who have been killed recently.
He said 23-year-old Rafael Torres was found dead in a vehicle on Gold near 7th SW on Aug. 3. Later that day, 22-year-old Joshua Garcia was shot and killed at the Motel 6 on Avenida Cesar Chavez. And in the early morning hours of Sunday, 28-year-old Daniel Garcia was killed on Aerospace Parkway NW on Albuquerque's far West Side.
No arrests have been made in those cases.
