Benjamin Moore, a 26-year-old man from Albuquerque, New Mexico, was fatally shot on January 26, 2020. The incident was part of a premeditated retaliation orchestrated by Brianna Archuleta, who was close friends with Moore's girlfriend.
According to the Albuquerque Police Department the motive behind the murder was Moore's release from jail for a domestic assault charge.
Moore had allegedly beaten Archuleta's friend and cut off her hair with a knife, prompting Archuleta to vow that she would have Moore 'taken care of'.
Archuleta recruited a group of individuals, including Davion Jaramillo, Ciera Lopez, and Pedro Escalante, to carry out the attack. The group stole a car and tracked down Moore to his girlfriend's apartment at 8200 Bridge Ave., S.W. in southwest Albuquerque. On the day of the incident, a white car pulled up to the apartment, and Moore stepped outside, engaging in an argument with the driver and a passenger. During this altercation, Moore was shot several times and died at the scene. Another person, Andrew Denas, who was with Moore, was also shot but survived the attack.
The investigation revealed that Archuleta had organized the entire operation through multiple text conversations and Facebook messages, where she discussed obtaining guns, stealing a car, and tracking down Moore after his release from jail. The stolen car used in the crime was later found less than two miles away, set on fire in an empty lot.
On June 28, 2022, APD detectives made several arrests in connection with Moore's murder. Brianna Archuleta, born on June 2, 1998, was arrested and charged with an open count of murder and conspiracy to commit a capital or first-degree felony. Davion Jaramillo, who is also facing a murder charge, was additionally charged with conspiracy, tampering with evidence, assault with intent to commit a violent felony, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, arson, conspiracy to commit arson, and receiving and transferring a stolen motor vehicle. However, as of the arrest date, Jaramillo was still wanted by the police.
The other two suspects, Pedro Escalante and Ciera Lopez, were arrested and charged with receiving and transferring a stolen motor vehicle, tampering with evidence, conspiracy, and arson conspiracy. All three suspects, except for Jaramillo, were in custody and awaiting detention hearings.
The detailed investigation and subsequent arrests highlight the extensive planning and coordination involved in the murder, as well as the thorough efforts of the APD to bring the perpetrators to justice.
