On a summer day in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the life of 28-year-old Jasen Mulvaney came to an abrupt and violent end. On July 8, 2019, near a construction site at the intersection of Edith and El Pueblo Road, a confrontation unfolded that would leave the young man fatally wounded. A property caretaker, Orlando Astorga, noticed an unfamiliar SUV on the land he was watching over.
As Astorga approached the vehicle, Mulvaney and his girlfriend, who were outside, got into the SUV and began to drive towards him.
What happened in the next few moments is a matter of conflicting accounts. Astorga told authorities that he heard a noise he believed to be a gunshot, which prompted him to draw his own firearm. He fired at the approaching vehicle, striking Mulvaney. In a different telling of the events, Mulvaney’s girlfriend stated that they had taken a shovel from the property. She claimed that as they tried to leave, Astorga blocked their exit and then gave chase, which culminated in the shooting.
In the aftermath of the incident, Jasen Mulvaney succumbed to his injuries. The caretaker who shot him, Orlando Astorga, was initially arrested and faced a murder charge. However, in a turn of events, the charges against Astorga were later dropped to allow for a more thorough investigation into the precise circumstances that led to the fatal shooting.
At the time of his death, it was reported that Mulvaney had a history of property-related criminal offenses. The investigation into his death continued after the initial charges against Astorga were dismissed. As of the latest available information, no further arrests have been made, and no other suspects have been publicly identified in connection with the death of Jasen Mulvaney. The case remains open as authorities continue to piece together the events of that fateful day.
