On August 3, 2019, a violent incident in Las Vegas, New Mexico, resulted in the death of 42-year-old Mark 'Marcos' Carrillo and the injury of 39-year-old Gilbert Montoya. The events of that evening are closely tied to the activities of Marcos R. Ruiz, a 40-year-old resident of Las Vegas and a member of the Westside Locos street gang, as well as an associate of the Syndicato de Nuevo Mexico prison gang.
According to police allegations, Marcos Ruiz was the perpetrator of the shootings. On the evening of August 3, 2019, Ruiz shot and killed Mark Carrillo and shot Gilbert Montoya at Ruiz's home. Montoya survived his wounds, but Carrillo was found dead on the floor of Ruiz's residence. Following the incident, Ruiz was arrested on August 4, 2019, and subsequently charged with first-degree murder in the death of Mark Carrillo and attempted murder in the shooting of Gilbert Montoya.
The investigation into these shootings was part of a broader inquiry involving federal agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. These agencies had been tracking Ruiz's activities for months, suspecting him of being a key figure in a drug trafficking operation linked to Robert C. Padilla, a suspected drug trafficker from Albuquerque. Ruiz was believed to be Padilla's drug distributor and 'enforcer' in Las Vegas, with his operations deeply intertwined with members and associates of the SNM gang.
Ruiz's involvement in other violent incidents further complicates the case. Earlier in the summer, on June 15, 2019, Cruz Gallegos, a 27-year-old, was shot and killed at the home of Ruiz's mother. Although Ruiz did not pull the trigger, he was present and handed the gun to Max J. Lucero, who fired the fatal shot. Lucero was later arrested on December 17, 2019, and charged with second-degree murder in Gallegos' death. Lucero's account of the event differed slightly from the witness's, but both accounts implicated Ruiz in the circumstances leading to Gallegos' death.
In addition to these incidents, Ruiz was also a suspect in the July 22, 2019, shooting death of Leroy Lucero, although no one has been charged in this case. Witnesses described seeing three shadowy figures in black near a black vehicle at the time of the shooting, and one witness identified Ruiz as one of the figures and the driver of the getaway car.
As of the current date, Marcos Ruiz remains in custody, having been transferred to federal custody in January 2020 after being indicted in U.S. District Court on charges related to the distribution of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. His attorney has sought to separate his charges from those of the other defendants in the indictment, arguing that the evidence against him is insufficient.
In summary, the death of Mark 'Marcos' Carrillo is attributed to Marcos R. Ruiz, who is also linked to other violent incidents and a broader drug trafficking operation involving the SNM gang. Ruiz is currently facing multiple charges, including first-degree murder and attempted murder, and is being held in federal custody.
