Joe Montoya, 41, male, was shot on the evening of July 4, 2025, near the intersection of Zuni Road SE and San Pablo Street SE in Albuquerque. Officers found him around 6:30 p.m. with at least one gunshot wound and he was rushed to the University of New Mexico Hospital in critical condition. He died overnight from his injuries, and homicide detectives took over the case the next morning.
His date of birth was December 6, 1983, and local obituaries list his date of death as July 5, 2025, reflecting that he succumbed after the Independence Day shooting.
In the weeks that followed, Albuquerque Police and Metro Crime Stoppers released a bulletin seeking the public's help to identify a man captured in images that investigators believe is connected to Montoya's killing. Authorities cautioned that the individual should be considered armed and dangerous and asked anyone with information to submit tips anonymously. As of the most recent public updates, no arrests had been announced and the investigation remained active.
