A visit to Albuquerque for a night out with a co-worker tragically ended in the death of Estevan Gomez, a 22-year-old man from Española, in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 18, 2026. The night took a fatal turn after Gomez and his friend left a downtown nightclub and began searching for their vehicle.
Sometime before 4:00 AM, near the intersection of 3rd Street and Copper Avenue NW, the pair mistakenly approached a vehicle they believed to be their Ford Escape.
As they attempted to open the locked doors, a man across the street, later identified as 44-year-old Edwin Sanders, confronted them, accusing them of trying to break into his car. Gomez and his co-worker attempted to de-escalate the situation, explaining their mistake before walking away to continue their search.
After locating their own vehicle a short distance away, the situation escalated dramatically. Sanders allegedly retrieved a handgun from his car and followed the two men. He then reportedly demanded money from them. As Gomez attempted to drive away from the confrontation, Sanders fired a single shot through the rear window of the vehicle, striking Gomez. Emergency services were called to the scene, but Estevan Gomez was pronounced dead.
Albuquerque Police Department homicide detectives launched an immediate investigation. Utilizing witness descriptions, surveillance footage from a nearby parking garage, and automatic license plate reader data, they were able to identify a black Nissan Pathfinder fleeing the scene. The investigation led them to a residence on California Street NE, where Edwin Sanders was arrested on Saturday night. Sanders was subsequently booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center. He is facing an open count of murder, attempted armed robbery, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
