Three teens arrested in deadly Taos shooting

Matthew Reisen, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·2 min read

Oct. 7—Authorities arrested three teenage boys in a shooting that left a woman dead and her son injured Wednesday morning in Taos. New Mexico State Police spokesman Mark Soriano said officers arrested Javier Romero, 16, and 14-year-olds Elijah Hamilton and Rickey Fresquez. He said all three are charged with an open count of murder, aggravated burglary, aggravated battery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the shooting, which left Shirley Reyes, 52, dead and her 19-year-old son injured. Soriano said Reyes' son was taken to a hospital and "the extent of his injuries and current condition is not known." He said Fresquez was booked into the San Juan Juvenile Detention Center, and Hamilton and Romero were booked into the Lea County Juvenile Detention Center. "The motive is still under investigation," Soriano said. A GoFundMe set up for Reyes' funeral expenses, her son's medical bills and to have professionals clean the home called the incident an "unspeakable act of violence that has struck our community." "Our community is quickly becoming greatly shaken as we all find out about the loss of this great woman — that so many respected, honored, cherished and loved so very much," according to the website. Soriano said that, around 5 a.m. Wednesday, the 19-year-old knocked on his neighbor's door in the 300 block of La Luz in Taos. The man had been shot and told his neighbor his mother had also been shot. Soriano said the neighbor called 911 and authorities found the man's mother, Reyes, dead inside the home. He said Reyes' son told police the suspects were Romero and Hamilton.

"Through investigation, agents learned a third teen (Fresquez) was also involved," Soriano said. He said that, later that day, Hamilton was turned in at the Taos State Police office by his parents and Romero was found by officers. Soriano said Fresquez was brought to the Taos State Police Office on Friday by a family member. "This case is under investigation by the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau," he said.