In the winter of 2015, the life of 45-year-old Hispanic female Alicia Quintana was tragically cut short in Albuquerque, New Mexico. On the evening of January 31st, what began as a meal at a TGI Friday's near the Cottonwood Mall ended in violence in the restaurant's parking lot. There, Alicia was shot and killed, a devastating end to a relationship that her family described as abusive.
Her boyfriend, Ernest Serna, was identified as the suspect in her murder.
According to reports, the couple had been arguing. The disagreement that started inside the restaurant spilled out into the parking lot. It was there that Serna is said to have fatally shot Quintana before fleeing the scene. This violent act was the culmination of a troubled relationship. Family members later revealed that Serna had been arrested twice for domestic violence during their brief six-month courtship and that Alicia had sought restraining orders against him.
In the days following the shooting, Ernest Serna was located and taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with an open count of murder in connection with Alicia Quintana's death. Her family, reeling from the loss of a mother and grandmother, remembered her as a woman with a wonderful smile and a love for life. They believe the murder was premeditated, stating that Serna had threatened to kill her in the past if she ever left him.
