Kenneth Ellis, a 40-year-old resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico, tragically lost his life on April 6, 2024, in a shooting incident at a dance hosted by a social club. The event took place at 525 San Pedro Dr. N.E., where Ellis had arrived around 11 p.m. with his girlfriend and uncle. According to reports, Ellis was a member of the Elks Lodge and had been invited to the dance by his uncle.
At approximately 1:30 a.m., Albuquerque Police Department officers responded to reports of gunfire
at the location. Upon arrival, they discovered Ellis on the dance floor near the DJ booth, suffering from a fatal gunshot wound to the back of the head. Surveillance footage from inside the building captured the moment when Ellis was shot as he turned from the dance floor to approach the DJ booth.
Following an investigation, APD detectives arrested 45-year-old Theodore Toney in connection with Ellis' death. Toney is accused of walking up to Ellis on the dance floor and shooting him once in the back of the head. He has been charged with an open count of murder with a firearm enhancement and was booked into the Metro Detention Center.
The motive behind the shooting appears to be related to a 2015 murder case. Detectives learned that Ellis had previously testified in a trial where a relative of Toney, identified as O'Shay Toney, was convicted for the 2015 murder of Ellis' uncle, Marvin Ellis. According to court documents, Ellis had reported threats made against him and his family due to his testimony in that case. The incident is believed to be an act of retaliation for Ellis' involvement in the earlier trial.
This tragic event marks the fourth homicide in Albuquerque since April 1, 2024, with the Albuquerque Police Department investigating three of these cases. The community has been left shocked by this act of violence, and authorities are urging anyone with information about the shooting to contact APD or call 505-242-COPS.
