New Mexico teen arrested in fatal shooting after alleged scheme to rob man she met online goes wrong

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (TCD) -- An 18-year-old female was taken into custody this week almost a year after a 24-year-old was fatally shot in front of his home as he tried to protect his brother.

The Albuquerque Police Department released a photo Jan. 24 of officers placing a woman in handcuffs and wrote, "Anna Bella Dukes has been arrested for the February 2021 murder of Elias Otero."

Dukes had been wanted for months by the department. Police said in a December 2020 statement that Dukes "used social media to lure a man to meet with her in the early morning hours of Feb. 11." They believe Dukes made the plans so 17-year-old Adrian Avila and another unnamed suspect could rob the victim. According to the statement, the day of the meet-up, the suspects "dragged the victim from his red Lexus and demanded cash, jewelry and a gun from him."

Dukes, Avila, and the other suspect allegedly held the man at gunpoint and made him drive to his home. When they arrived at the man’s home, the suspects allegedly "ordered the victim to call his brother and have him bring money and a gun outside, or they would shoot and kill the victim."

Elias Otero, the man’s brother, came outside and threatened to shoot Dukes, Avila, and the other suspect. Avila allegedly shot at Otero and killed him. The suspects fled the scene and the man who was carjacked reportedly escaped safely.

KOAT-TV reports Dukes also allegedly used a similar tactic the day before Otero was shot by connecting with someone on social media and carjacking them.

The Albuquerque Police Department announced in December that Avila turned himself in. He faces charges of an open count of murder, kidnapping, two counts of armed robbery with a deadly weapon, tampering with evidence, and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

According to KOAT, Otero used to work as a corrections officer at Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque and began working for the postal service right before his death.

Bernalillo County Jail records show Dukes is being held on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, two counts of armed robbery, conspiracy to commit a felony, and tampering with evidence.

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