Joseph Alvarez, a 40-year-old Hispanic/Latino man described by loved ones as outgoing and funny, was a father to four children. His family remembered the joy he brought into their lives from the day he was born.
On the afternoon of January 18, 2024, Alvarez was with his on-and-off girlfriend, 29-year-old Roberta Martinez, in a vehicle in Southeast Albuquerque, New Mexico. The two were having a loud argument near the intersection of Palomas Drive and Ross Avenue SE.
According to a witness, the dispute became so heated that Alvarez appeared to try to get away from the situation.
The witness saw Alvarez get out of the driver's side of the car and turn back toward the vehicle, still yelling at Martinez. He had his hands in the air in a way that the witness interpreted as a sign of frustration. The witness did not see anything in his hands. At that point, Martinez shot Alvarez approximately five times, killing him at the scene. An investigation by homicide detectives later determined that Alvarez had a firearm in his waistband but his hands were free when he was shot. He was struck by two rounds, one in the back and one in the back of his head.
When police arrived around 5 p.m., they found Martinez on the sidewalk crying, where she told an officer, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do it." She later told a witness, "He was trying to kill me." In interviews with detectives, Martinez claimed she had a history of domestic violence with Alvarez and that she shot him in self-defense. She alleged that during their fight, he had beaten her, pointed a gun at her, and pistol-whipped her. However, detectives noted that Martinez had no significant visible injuries consistent with being pistol-whipped, and her statements were inconsistent with the evidence and the eyewitness account.
Roberta Martinez was arrested and charged with an open count of murder. Prosecutors argued that she shot Alvarez without justification as he became "exasperated" during their argument. In April 2025, Roberta Martinez was convicted and sentenced for the shooting death of Joseph Alvarez.
