Mathew Nelson, a 22-year-old White man, was remembered by his mother for the "profound and lasting impact" he had on his family. His life was cut short when he tried to act as a peacemaker during a chaotic altercation in Clovis, New Mexico.
In the early hours of Monday, April 10, 2023, police were called to the Clovis Apartments on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard for reports of gunshots. Officers arrived just after 1 a.m. to find Mathew Nelson suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
He was rushed to Plains Regional Medical Center, where he died from his injuries. According to witness statements in court records, a fight had broken out at the apartment complex. Nelson attempted to intervene and break up the fight when one of the men involved, later identified as Patrick Quinones, opened fire. An affidavit stated that Quinones shot at Nelson and then began firing toward the surrounding crowd, later claiming he was afraid of being "jumped."
The investigation quickly identified the shooter as Patrick Quinones, a 21-year-old Airman First Class stationed at the nearby Cannon Air Force Base. After the shooting, Quinones fled New Mexico. When contacted by a sergeant at the base and ordered to report for duty, Quinones expressed fear about returning to Clovis. With assistance from military officials, law enforcement tracked him to a Best Western motel in Post, Texas. He was arrested there by the Garza County Sheriff's Office on the evening of April 10.
Quinones was extradited back to New Mexico and initially charged with second-degree murder and tampering with evidence. He was discharged from the Air Force shortly after his arrest. The case was investigated by a multi-agency task force that included local law enforcement and the Cannon Air Force Base Office of Special Investigations. As the case proceeded, the charge against Quinones was reduced to voluntary manslaughter.
In January 2026, Quinones, then 23, accepted a plea agreement. He pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter. The prosecutor explained that the case would have been challenging to take to trial due to conflicting witness statements, with some witnesses alleging the victim also had a gun. Quinones had maintained that he acted in self-defense. The plea deal ensured a conviction and a lifetime ban on firearm ownership for Quinones.
During the sentencing hearing, Nelson’s family members delivered emotional victim impact statements, expressing their profound grief and disappointment with the plea deal. His mother, Wendy Aragon, told the court, "I’m missing a piece of me I’ll never, ever get back." District Judge Ben Cross sentenced Patrick Quinones to time served for the 647 days he had spent in county jail awaiting trial, followed by 1,543 days of supervised probation. Quinones was released from custody following the January 2026 hearing.
