By: ABQRAW staff
Posted: 11/28/2023 @ 10:25AM
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Albuquerque –
In a significant breakthrough, Albuquerque Police Department (APD) detectives have apprehended two suspects in connection with the tragic murder of Nicolas Candelaria on November 1 in the Barelas neighborhood. Lanise Padilla, 23, was arrested on Saturday, November 25th, during a routine traffic stop for lacking a license plate. The vehicle she was driving, believed to be linked to the homicide, was sealed and towed.
Meanwhile, Richard Anderson, 24, the second suspect, was located at a residence on Marapi St NW and taken into custody by detectives later in the day on Saturday. The arrest comes after a thorough investigation by APD homicide detectives, revealing that the duo had driven to Candelaria’s residence on Atlantic Ave. SW, in the early hours of November 1 under the pretense of buying 1 gram of cocaine. The situation escalated when Anderson allegedly shot Candelaria three times during an attempted robbery, claiming self-defense as Candelaria appeared to reach for a gun. Anderson fled the scene with the stolen cocaine.
Both Anderson and Padilla face charges of open murder, conspiracy, tampering with evidence, and robbery. As of this post, both suspects are still booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC). The arrests mark a significant stride in ensuring justice for the victim and his family.
You may also recall that on November 16th, CrimeStoppers sought the public’s assistance in this homicide investigation. The collaboration between APD detectives and officers underscores their commitment to resolving intricate cases, emphasizing that criminal activities will not go without consequences in the city.
This is not the first encounter that Lanise Padilla has had with law enforcement. In December 2016, she was apprehended by the Albuquerque Police, along with four other individuals, on charges related to the murder of Hector Aguirre, a local contractor and church deacon, aged 47. Aguirre had tragically lost his life in September of 2016 when he was run over by his own work truck while on a job at a residence in NW Albuquerque.
The incident unfolded when the group allegedly seized control of Aguirre’s work van. As Aguirre attempted to intervene, the teens reportedly ran over him. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Aguirre died from his injuries. Lanise Padilla, then 16, and her accomplices, known as the “Get Hard Crew,” faced charges in connection with Aguirre’s murder.
In January 2017, a judge deemed Lanise Padilla a threat to public safety and ordered her to be held without bail. Court records revealed that Padilla had a history of prior arrests, including auto theft and bringing a deadly weapon to school, predating the murder of Hector Aguirre. We are unable to determine what occurred during Padilla’s trial. According to a source, Padilla was found guilty of Aguirre’s murder, but it is unknown how long she served in the Youth Detention Center, likely because she was a juvenile at the time.
We reached out to the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office for a statement on this case, particularly regarding Padilla’s history. The DA’s office sent a comment that said:
“For the safety of the community, we believe she should remain in custody and have filed a motion for pretrial detention.”
More information will be provided when and if it becomes available.
Footage from the scene can be found HERE: