Gomez-Villeda faces six charges after son shoots teen

Six counts of criminal charges were filed against Elaina Gomez-Villeda on Sunday, stemming from a Saturday afternoon incident in Northeast Albuquerque that resulted in the death of a 16-year-old. The 40-year-old mother is now being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center.

The charges include one open count of murder, child abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, negligently making a firearm accessible to a minor, battery, and receiving a stolen firearm. These allegations follow the fatal shooting of Keinerlein Rangel, whose body was found outside a residence in the 200 block of Tennessee Street, north of Central Avenue.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, the dispute began when Rangel and her mother were listening to music. Gomez-Villeda knocked on their door to complain about the volume. Minutes later, while Rangel and her mother were installing a security camera, Gomez-Villeda emerged from her apartment and punched both women an unknown number of times.

During the physical altercation, Rangel’s mother told police that Gomez-Villeda’s 10-year-old son attempted to intervene. The boy was then instructed to retrieve a handgun from the apartment. He returned with the weapon and shot Rangel in the head, the complaint states. The firearm was reportedly stolen from Santa Fe.

After the shooting, Gomez-Villeda brought her son back inside. She texted her husband, “I’m probably going to jail right now,” and dialed 911. While she was on the line, Rangel’s father tried to open the door and broke a window. Gomez-Villeda grabbed a gun and fired it in an attempt to scare him, according to police records.

Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos stated that detectives are working with the 2nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office and state officials to determine potential criminal charges for the boy because of his age. The boy has not been publicly identified. Homicide detectives continue to investigate Rangel’s death, while the Multi-Agency Task Force is reviewing the actions of an officer who fired a weapon during the scene.

When officers arrived at approximately 4:02 p.m. Saturday, they observed Rangel’s body outside. Someone inside the apartment discharged a firearm, prompting officers to take cover. Three people left the residence, followed by Gomez-Villeda, who was armed. An officer fired toward her, but the bullets struck a pillar, Gallegos said. Police later located the fatal firearm outside Gomez-Villeda’s apartment.

Gomez-Villeda told officers, “I thought we were gonna die; these people, they do this a lot, and I didn’t think I was gonna be the target, but it is what it is.” Police said her actions posed a serious risk to the health and safety of her son and Rangel, citing the instruction to retrieve a gun during a fight and the child’s easy access to the weapon.