Mariano Salazar, a 17-year-old Hispanic male, was remembered by his mother as a respectful boy who loved to smile and make others laugh. He was a student at Atrisco Heritage High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and worked at a local pizza shop. His family said if anyone was having a bad day, he would be the one trying to make jokes and see them happy.
On the evening of June 30, 2024, Mariano was with friends at a downtown Albuquerque parking garage located at 214 2nd St. SW.
While standing near an opening on the fourth level, some of the teens with him reportedly shouted, "There's Ruben," after spotting someone they knew on the street below. Moments later, multiple gunshots were fired from the street. A witness saw a white sedan with dark tinted windows stopped at the intersection of 2nd Street and Gold Avenue, and a male in the passenger seat was seen raising his hand just before the shots rang out. Mariano was struck in the chest and died at the scene.
In the immediate aftermath, two individuals reportedly went to Mariano’s vehicle and removed several items, including a rifle and a pillowcase filled with other belongings. Witnesses told investigators that Mariano was known to carry a handgun and sometimes traded firearms from his car. The investigation quickly gained a lead when a Crime Stoppers tip the following morning identified 17-year-old Ruben Valdez as the shooter.
Detectives with the Albuquerque Police Department used phone and social media data to secure search warrants. They uncovered messages on Valdez's accounts that pointed to an ongoing feud with a friend of Mariano's, which had allegedly involved a previous shooting at that friend's home. The messages also suggested that others were aware of Valdez's involvement, and in one exchange, Valdez allegedly wrote that he "caught a body." On July 31, 2024, detectives arrested Ruben Valdez. He and his cousin, Elliott Peralta, were ultimately charged in connection with the fatal shooting.
In October 2025, Ruben Valdez, then 18, and Elliott Peralta, then 19, went to trial. Their defense attorney argued that Valdez fired in self-defense after their car was threatened by men on the fourth floor of the garage who were pointing firearms with laser sights at them. On October 24, 2025, a jury acquitted both Valdez and Peralta of first-degree murder. Peralta was acquitted of all charges, including tampering with evidence and conspiracy. The jury found Valdez guilty of the lesser charges of voluntary manslaughter and shooting at or from a vehicle.
As of October 2025, a sentencing hearing for Ruben Valdez had not yet been scheduled.
