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Albuquerque man sentenced to 8 years for fatally shooting panhandler
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A 22-year-old Albuquerque man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for fatally shooting a homeless man who was panhandling at a West Side intersection in 2021.
Isaiah Luna pleaded guilty July 27 to voluntary manslaughter in the Sept. 19, 2021, killing of 56-year-old David Hart, who was shot in the face while asking drivers for money at Central and 98th. Hart died at the scene.
Second Judicial District Judge Courtney Weaks sentenced Luna to eight years in prison under the terms of the plea agreement.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, an Albuquerque police detective reviewed security video that recorded the fatal encounter between a panhandler and the driver of a Jeep Commander stopped in a turn lane on Central waiting to turn south onto 98th.
“The homeless male passes the white Jeep Commander and it appears that the male driver rolls the window down and says something to the homeless male,” the detective wrote. “The homeless male appears to attempt to walk away a few times and is drawn back in by conversation from the driver of the Jeep. The driver of the white Jeep then shoots the homeless male.”
Luna later returned to the scene with his mother and surrendered to police. Luna’s mother told police that Hart had punched Luna, prompting Luna to shoot in self-defense, the complaint said.
The detective wrote that the security video did not show any attempt by Hart to strike or punch Luna.
