On September 10, 2024, 19-year-old Andrew Flores was found dead near Los Picaros Rd. and Dragway Rd. S.E. in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Albuquerque Police Department discovered his body with a single gunshot wound to the head.
The incident leading to Flores' death reportedly occurred just before midnight on September 9, 2024. Andrew Johns, 24, called the police to report a fight with Flores while they were off-roading near Bobby Foster Trail and Picaros Rd.
Johns claimed that Flores had become angry and hit him with a plastic pole. Johns then retrieved his gun from his truck, allegedly after Flores taunted him.
Initially, Johns told police he had fired a warning shot into the air, causing Flores to run away. He then left the area and called the police out of concern for Flores' safety. When officers responded to the scene, they couldn't locate Flores. They confiscated Johns' rifle due to a violation of a restraining order that prohibited him from possessing firearms.
The following morning, city workers discovered Flores' body. APD homicide detectives launched an investigation and connected it to Johns' earlier call. The description of Johns' friend matched the body found at the scene.
Johns was initially released on his own recognizance from the Metropolitan Detention Center for charges related to his first arrest. However, he was subsequently re-arrested and charged with an open count of murder in connection with Flores' death.
The Albuquerque Police Department has booked Andrew Johns into the Metropolitan Detention Center for the murder of Andrew Flores. The case highlights the tragic consequences of a confrontation that escalated to fatal violence during what began as an off-roading excursion.
