Victor Alexander Torres, a 39-year-old Hispanic man, was a father and partner whose life was rooted in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Born to Andy and Martha Torres, he grew up with three siblings. He and his partner, Yvette Benavidez, shared a life and were raising their three children, Santos, Neveah, and Cruz.
On the afternoon of March 31, 2023, Torres and Benavidez were in the drive-thru lane at the McDonald's on Indian School Road N.W.
Benavidez was asleep in the passenger seat when she was awakened by the sound of Torres yelling at another driver, Deandre Vigil, who had pulled up alongside them. Believing she saw the 24-year-old Vigil reaching for a gun, Benavidez urged Torres to drive away to avoid being shot.
Torres pulled out of the drive-thru, but Vigil followed them in his blue Dodge SUV. Torres then stopped his car, got out, and walked toward Vigil’s vehicle, asking why he was being followed. Benavidez heard Vigil tell Torres, "Come over here big boy, I got something for you." As Torres repeated his question, Vigil fired two or three shots before speeding away from the scene. Emergency responders transported Torres to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Homicide detectives with the Albuquerque Police Department launched an investigation, using surveillance video from the McDonald’s and a nearby store to identify Vigil as the suspect. On April 20, 2023, police arrested him. Investigators learned that Vigil already had an outstanding felony warrant for a 2022 robbery. He was booked into the Metro Detention Center on charges of murder and shooting at or from a motor vehicle.
In August 2024, Deandre Vigil pleaded guilty in a Bernalillo County court to killing Victor Torres. As a result of his plea, he faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. A date for his sentencing has not yet been set.
