Donte Jacquan 'DJ' Barnes, age 31, was fatally shot on March 13, 2024, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The incident occurred in the parking lot of Twisters restaurant, located at 2107 Menaul Blvd., N.E. Officers responded to reports of a shooting at approximately 4 p.m. that day. Barnes was transported to a hospital but succumbed to his wounds.
According to police investigations, the suspect approached Barnes, who was standing at the far northwest corner of the parking lot.
The details of their interaction remain unclear, but multiple shots were fired at Barnes, causing him to collapse. The shooter then fled the scene, running around the east side of Twisters before escaping westward down Menaul Boulevard.
The Albuquerque Police Department has charged 25-year-old Gabriel Valenzuela-Greene Jr. with an open count of murder and tampering with evidence in connection with Barnes' death. Valenzuela-Greene, also known by the street name 'Memphis,' is suspected of involvement in two other murders that occurred within a 9-day span, all allegedly linked to narcotics trafficking.
Forensic evidence played a crucial role in connecting Valenzuela-Greene to the crime. Homicide detectives discovered that bullet casings from Barnes' murder matched those from another murder that occurred earlier on the same day, indicating that both shootings involved the same 9mm handgun.
Valenzuela-Greene was apprehended on March 15, 2024, following an extensive investigation. APD detectives tracked him to a white BMW and later to a residence at 932 California St., S.E. As SWAT officers arrived at the home, the suspect attempted to flee but was taken into custody.
The case against Valenzuela-Greene appears to be part of a larger investigation into a series of violent crimes in Albuquerque. The APD has credited various technological tools and investigative techniques, including ShotSpotter, the NIBIN ballistics tracing program, and their Digital Video Recovery and Digital Intel Teams, for quickly solving these murders.
