Man Charged With Murder After Parking Dispute Turns Deadly Outside Effingbar

Albuquerque –

New details have emerged about Friday night’s deadly shooting at the Effingbar and Grill. Albuquerque Police Department homicide detectives have charged David Casarez in connection with the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Carlos Ochoa at a West Side bar. Investigators say a dispute over a parking space escalated into a fight that ended in gunfire.

Casarez, 38, claimed to police that he shot Ochoa in self-defense in the parking lot of the Effingbar and Grill, located at 5300 Sequoia Rd. N.W. Casarez said that Ochoa pointed a handgun at him during the fight, but APD detectives were unable to confirm that Ochoa had a weapon.

Witnesses said Casarez initiated the fight after Ochoa pulled his vehicle in front of him and took a parking space Casarez was waiting to use. During the altercation, women from both vehicles allegedly got out and began fighting as well.

Witnesses reported that Casarez retrieved a firearm from his vehicle during the fight and used it to shoot Ochoa. They also said Casarez struck Ochoa’s girlfriend with the handgun before shooting Ochoa.

Casarez’s account of the shooting was also inconsistent with witness statements and gunshots detected by APD’s ShotSpotter system. That system showed three shots, a delay of four to five seconds, followed by a fourth shot. Witnesses told police that after Casarez shot the first volley of shots, Ochoa fell to the ground. Ochoa tried to sit up and Casarez shot one more time, striking him.

When officers arrived at the scene, they located Ochoa in the parking lot with gunshot wounds. He died at the scene.

Casarez is charged with an open count of murder and five counts of aggravated battery (deadly weapon). He was booked into the Metro Detention Center at 02:51 AM on Sunday, August 24th.