In the early morning hours of Christmas Day 2019, tragedy struck in Albuquerque, New Mexico, forever altering the lives of a local family. Nineteen-year-old Hispanic female, Paloma Sanchez, was in a parking lot at 1001 Madeira Dr. SE when she was shot by an unknown individual. First responders were dispatched to the scene where they found Sanchez unresponsive.
She was quickly transported to a nearby hospital with a possible gunshot wound but succumbed to her injuries a short time later.
Investigators later connected Paloma's seemingly random death to a string of violent events that unfolded across the city on the same day. The suspect or suspects are believed to have been driving a white SUV, possibly a Chevrolet Tahoe. This same vehicle was linked to a second fatal shooting that morning near the intersection of Lomas and Louisiana, where a man named Christian Frescas was killed while taking his routine morning walk. A third shooting, which the victim survived, occurred minutes later at 6901 Zuni SE. During this incident, a male wearing a mask reportedly demanded money from the victim before shooting them.
Despite the connections made between the three Christmas Day shootings, the individual or individuals responsible for Paloma Sanchez's death have not been publicly identified. The Albuquerque Police Department has asked for the public's assistance in identifying the suspect and the white SUV involved in the series of attacks. As of late 2022, her case remains an open and active homicide investigation, with authorities urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers. The search for answers and justice for Paloma and the other victims of that day's violence continues.
