On May 28, 2021, a 38-year-old Hispanic male named Rigo Morales was shot and killed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The incident occurred at a residence located at the intersection of Blake Road and Unser Boulevard in the southwestern part of the city. His life was cut short in an act of violence that was later connected to a wider crime spree.
The investigation into the death of Morales uncovered a complex web of violent crimes allegedly perpetrated by a group of teenagers.
These additional crimes included armed carjackings, robberies, and other drive-by shootings. It is believed that the shooting that resulted in Morales's death was part of this larger pattern of violence that had been plaguing the Albuquerque area. In a harrowing detail of the event, it was also reported that the assailant held Morales's girlfriend hostage for a period before she managed to escape.
More than a year after the incident, on September 30, 2022, a significant breakthrough was made in the case with the arrest of a suspect. The individual taken into custody was Izaiah Ruiz, who was 14 years old at the time of the alleged crimes. His arrest was not solely for the murder of Rigo Morales, but also in connection with other violent acts, including the killing of another individual on a different date. The arrest of the young suspect highlighted a disturbing trend of juvenile involvement in serious violent crime within the community.
