On the evening of October 18, 2017, a sense of betrayal hung heavy in the Albuquerque air for the family of Tubaya Perez, a 20-year-old Hispanic/Latino male. That day, Perez had accepted a ride from someone he knew, a decision that would tragically be his last. The acquaintance drove him to an apartment complex near the intersection of Alvarado Road and Ross Street in the southeast part of the city, where the unthinkable happened.
Perez was discovered lying on the ground, having
sustained multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. In the painful aftermath, his family voiced their profound belief that he had been deliberately set up, lured to his death by individuals he had mistakenly placed his trust in. Their grief was compounded by the chilling suspicion that their loved one had been the victim of a calculated act of violence by people he considered friends.
The investigation into the homicide led Albuquerque police to 21-year-old Markerius Gabralyn Crawford. He was arrested and charged with an open count of murder in connection with Perez's death. In December of 2018, the case reached a resolution in court. Crawford pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree murder.
As part of his plea, Crawford also admitted guilt to charges of tampering with evidence, two previous cases of receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle, and evading or obstructing an officer. For his role in the death of Tubaya Perez, Markerius Crawford was sentenced to 20 years in prison, bringing a close to the legal chapter of a story that ended a young man's life far too soon.
