APD makes arrest in West Side slaying

Olivier Uyttebrouck, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·1 min read

Jun. 24—Police on Tuesday arrested Estevan Paiz in the shooting death of a man whose body was left in a Northwest Albuquerque roadway last week.

Albuquerque police found the body of Emilio C de Baca, 22, on June 16 lying in the 6400 block of Western Trail NW, according to a Metro Court criminal complaint.

Paiz, 22, was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Wednesday and charged with an open count of murder in C de Baca's death, Albuquerque Police Department spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said in a news release.

Police interviewed a witness who saw a car speeding on Western Trail. It then made a U-turn in the median and stopped in the roadway, the complaint states.

The witness saw the driver pull something from the passenger door, then saw a body lying in the street, according to the complaint.

C de Baca had multiple gunshot wounds to the left side of his face and body, the complaint states.

Witnesses told police that Paiz was seen with C de Baca the day before the body was found.

Police obtained a search warrant for Paiz's Toyota Corolla and found the passenger window shattered and evidence of blood stains and apparent bone fragments inside the car, the complaint states.