Jesus Valdez, an 18-year-old Hispanic male, was fatally shot on September 14, 2025, during an altercation at his place of employment in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Valdez, an employee at an O'Reilly Auto Parts store, was one of two workers who died as a result of the incident, which stemmed from a dispute with a customer over an oil filter.
The conflict began when Ismael Tena, 27, and his father went to the auto parts store to exchange an oil filter.
An argument ensued after Tena was reportedly denied free oil containers he believed he was owed due to a previous incorrect purchase. Witnesses reported that Tena became upset, took two containers of oil, and walked out of the store. Valdez and his 47-year-old coworker, Richard Newman, followed Tena outside, where the confrontation escalated into a physical altercation. Tena then allegedly retrieved a firearm from his truck and shot both employees. Newman was pronounced dead at the scene, while Valdez was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Shortly after the shooting, Ismael Tena called 911, claiming that two employees had "come after" him and that he had acted in self-defense, fearing for his life. Law enforcement located Tena in his white GMC pickup truck near Isleta and Blake and took him into custody. During questioning, Tena maintained that he was shoved and punched by the employees and that he only fired his weapon after warning them. However, deputies reported not seeing any injuries on Tena consistent with his account of a physical fight. Neither Valdez nor Newman were armed during the incident.
Ismael Tena has been charged with two open counts of murder for the deaths of Jesus Valdez and Richard Newman. He was subsequently booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. Court records indicate a history of prior incidents involving firearms for Tena, though he had not been convicted in those cases. Following the shooting, prosecutors filed for pre-trial detention, arguing that Tena is a danger to the community. A judge later ordered that he remain in jail pending trial. An obituary for Jesus Valdez described him as a beloved son and brother with a "heart full of love and a spirit full of joy," who dreamed of working hard to provide for his mother.
