In the quiet of a September evening in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the life of 78-year-old Manuelita Sotelo was tragically cut short. On September 12, 2019, a burst of gunfire shattered the peace of a mobile home park on Lura Place SW, leaving a scene of unimaginable violence. Sotelo, a beloved mother and grandmother, was one of four people killed in the mass shooting.
When Albuquerque police officers arrived at the residence near Bridge and Goff, they discovered a horrific sight.
Three individuals were already deceased, and a fourth, who was rushed to the hospital, would later succumb to their injuries. The victims, spanning generations, included Sotelo, along with 36-year-old Christine Baca, 17-year-old Daniel Alexis Baca, and 16-year-old Victoria Cereceres. Two other individuals at the scene sustained non-life-threatening injuries amidst the chaos.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, homicide detectives from the Albuquerque Police Department launched an intensive investigation. However, the initial search for those responsible proved fruitless, and no suspects were immediately identified. In the years that have followed, the case has remained an active and open investigation, a painful, unsolved chapter in the city's history.
As of early 2025, no arrests have been made in connection with the murders of Manuelita Sotelo and the three other victims. The Albuquerque Police Department continues to appeal to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough in the case. For the families left to grapple with their immense loss, the wait for justice continues, a somber testament to a violent night that claimed four lives.
