In the early morning hours of March 11, 2025, a violent encounter in Albuquerque, New Mexico, claimed the life of 27-year-old Donald Slydell Jr., a Black/African American male. The tragic events unfolded around 3:30 a.m. near Montgomery Park, where Donald, his mother Marie Lucero, and his sister were sleeping in their vehicle as they were experiencing homelessness.
A man, later identified as 43-year-old Peter Garcia, approached the car and opened fire in what authorities have described as a carjacking.
The gunfire resulted in the death of Donald Slydell Jr. and left his mother, Marie Lucero, critically injured. Garcia then forced the family from their vehicle and fled the scene in the stolen car. His escape was short-lived, as he soon crashed the vehicle into another car near an apartment complex on Montgomery Boulevard. Following the collision, an altercation broke out between Garcia and the driver of the other vehicle.
A security guard from the nearby apartment complex intervened in the confrontation. During this intervention, the security guard shot and killed Peter Garcia. The Albuquerque Police Department later stated that the security guard's actions were considered justified, and it was not anticipated that any charges would be filed against him. Marie Lucero was transported to a local hospital in critical condition but was later reported to be stable and able to communicate with investigators.
Donald Slydell Jr. was known to some online as 'Brotherchu' and was a content creator with a YouTube channel called Hershey505, where he would share gaming-related content. He was also a member of the Slydell family, who had a presence on the social media platform TikTok. Following his death, his sister requested that people refrain from using his online moniker. The community responded with an outpouring of support, organizing fundraisers to assist the family with funeral expenses and to help them during their time of grief.
