APD Arrests Mother of 10-year-old who shot and Killed Teen

Albuquerque-

Homicide detectives from the Albuquerque Police Department have charged the mother of a 10-year-old boy who fatally shot a 16-year-old girl during a chaotic dispute between neighbors at an apartment complex.

Elaina Gomez-Villeda, 40, was charged today with several crimes, including an open count of murder, for her role in the shooting death of Keinerlein Rangel, 16. Gomez-Villeda was in a physical fight on Saturday with Keinerlein Rangel’s mother, Susana Rangel, over a dispute about loud music.

Susana Rangel said her daughter, Keinerlein, tried to intervene and Gomez-Villeda started hitting Keinerlein. Gomez-Villeda’s son, a 10-year-old boy, also tried to intervene. Gomez-Villeda allegedly told the boy to go inside the apartment and get her handgun.

The boy retrieved the handgun and returned outside. He fired one time, striking and killing Keinerlein. Gomez-Villeda then took her son inside their apartment and closed the door.

She later told detectives that she texted her husband, “I’m probably going to jail right now.” Gomez-Villeda then called 911 to report the incident. She later told detectives that she was attacked by her neighbors after she complained about loud music.

She also told detectives that while she was on the phone with 911, a man tried to pull open her door and broke her window. The man, later identified as the father of Keinerlein Rangel, arrived at the apartment after the shooting and was told by his wife that his daughter had been shot. Gomez-Villeda said she grabbed a gun and shot at the man to make him leave. She told detectives, “I thought we were gonna die; these people, they do it a lot, and I didn’t think I was gonna be the target, but it is what it is.”

When APD officers arrived shortly after 4 p.m., they saw someone shoot a gun from inside the apartment. Officers took cover. Three people eventually exited the apartment, followed by Gomez-Villeda who was armed with a handgun. One officer fired his handgun toward Gomez-Villeda, but the rounds missed her and instead struck a pillar on the apartment building.

APD says the 10-year-old boy is not being identified because he has not been charged with a crime at this point of the investigation. APD detectives are working with the District Attorney’s Office and state officials to determine potential criminal charges because of his age.

In addition to the murder charge, Gomez-Villeda was also charged with conspiracy to commit murder, child abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, negligently making a firearm accessible to a minor, misdemeanor battery, and receiving stolen property (firearm).

Homicide detectives will continue to investigating the shooting death of Keinerlein Rangel. The Multi-Agency Task Force is investigating the officer-involved shooting.

Editor’s Note: The teen who was killed was initially reported by APD to be 17 years old. APD clarified today that the victim was 16 years old.