In the early hours of a Friday in March 2021, the quiet of an Amsterdam, New York street was broken by the discovery of a gravely injured man. Ricardo M. Lopez, a 37-year-old Hispanic male, was found bleeding on the sidewalk of Hibbard Street at approximately 1:52 a.m. on March 12th. First responders quickly determined his injuries were life-threatening, and he was airlifted to Albany Medical Center. Lopez had sustained a gunshot wound to the head and, despite medical efforts, succumbed to his injuries three days later on March 15, 2021. His death was officially classified as a homicide, prompting an investigation by the Amsterdam Police, New York State Police Major Crimes, and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities initially did not believe the shooting was a random act of violence and assured the public that there was no broader threat. For more than two years, the case remained without an arrest, leaving a sense of unresolved justice in the community. Investigators continued to work the case, appealing to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough. The investigation involved interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence, a painstaking process that eventually bore fruit.
In June of 2023, a significant development emerged in the investigation. Amsterdam Police announced the arrest of 35-year-old Naturalwise K. Joseph. He was charged with second-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Ricardo Lopez. At the time of this new charge, Joseph was already incarcerated. He was serving a sentence of 18 years to life in a maximum-security prison for a separate murder that occurred in Albany in May 2021, just two months after Lopez's death. In that case, Joseph had pleaded guilty to shooting and killing 39-year-old Lashon Turner. The charges brought against Joseph for Lopez's death marked a long-awaited step towards closure for those who knew the victim.
