13-year-old accused of fatally shooting woman who confronted him about her stolen car
08/04/2023 2:29 pm PDT
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (TCD) -- A teenager turned himself in after allegedly shooting and killing a 23-year-old woman who approached him about her stolen vehicle.
The Albuquerque Police Department responded to a report of a shooting at the Smith’s gas station near Central Avenue and Coors Boulevard Southwest on Monday, July 31, shortly before 9 p.m. and found Sydney Wilson deceased from an apparent gunshot wound.
Witnesses informed police that someone stole Wilson’s white Hyundai and she was trying to track the vehicle using a GPS phone application.
As she was searching for her vehicle, several teenagers reportedly drove around in the stolen Hyundai on the evening of July 31 and stopped by a Walgreens to steal alcohol.
According to police, Wilson was able to track the stolen Hyundai, and while she was on the phone with a friend, she said she was "going to confront the occupants inside the stolen vehicle."
As Wilson was exiting the other car she was driving to approach the teenagers, the Hyundai hit a black Mustang in front of her and then crashed into a curb.
Thirteen-year-old Marcos Barela, who was sitting in the left rear passenger seat of the stolen vehicle, reportedly left the car and walked away from the accident.
Wilson then approached the Hyundai to speak with the teenagers, and Barela allegedly pulled out a firearm from his waistband and fired two to three shots at the white vehicle, hitting Wilson at least once, killing her.
On Aug. 2, police said Barela turned himself in, and he was booked into the Bernalillo County Juvenile Detention Center on charges of murder, tampering with evidence, and unlawful possession of a handgun by a person.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said his office will "try and keep this teen in custody."
Bregman added, "We are also going to look into how a 13-year-old got ahold of the gun used in his horrific crime."
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