On June 15, 2022, Timothy Johnson Jr., a 23-year-old resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico, lost his life to gun violence. The incident occurred at approximately 11:50 PM at a Circle K gas station located at 4400 Coors Blvd SW. According to witnesses and a criminal complaint, Johnson was shot in the head and torso. He was immediately transported to the University of New Mexico Hospital where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into Johnson's death led Bernalillo
County Sheriff's Office detectives to identify Adrian Sanchez as the primary suspect. Sanchez is accused of driving his vehicle toward Johnson at the gas station, exiting the vehicle, and firing multiple shots at Johnson. Witnesses described the scene where Johnson fell to the ground after being shot, and Sanchez was seen kicking him and removing personal possessions from Johnson's body.
The BCSO detectives pieced together their case against Sanchez using a combination of witness statements, warrants to social media companies, and call logs. A key piece of evidence included a text message sent by Sanchez to associates, which contained the phrase “WHO da rat.” In an interview with detectives, Sanchez mentioned that Johnson had numerous conflicts with various individuals due to his alleged gang affiliations and boastful behavior.
Sanchez was also implicated in another homicide that occurred on May 5, 2022, which was being investigated by the Albuquerque Police Department. This incident took place at 202 Garcia SE, where a male victim was shot multiple times. Sanchez claimed in social media messages to friends that the shooting was in self-defense during a robbery. However, he later attempted to orchestrate false witness statements to mislead officials.
Adrian Sanchez was arrested by a United States Marshal Fugitive Task Force for outstanding warrants related to both murder cases. As of the reports, Sanchez is currently in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center, facing two first-degree murder charges. The arrest and charges against Sanchez were part of a broader context of rising homicide rates in Albuquerque, with the city recording 90 homicides in 2022, significantly higher than the previous year's numbers.
