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Man fatally stabbed at birthday party in Southwest Albuquerque
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A man is accused of stabbing another man early Sunday during a birthday party in Southwest Albuquerque.
Ernesto Martinez, 41, is charged with an open count of murder. He will be taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center after being treated at a local hospital, Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Rebecca Atkins said.
Martinez told police he stabbed someone at the party, but could not remember who, according to a criminal complaint filed at Metropolitan Court.
At about 12:30 a.m. Sunday, officers responded to a call of a stabbing in the 3000 block of Kraft Court SW, near 98th Street.
When they arrived, they found a man — later identified as Christopher Gallegos — with a stab wound to the chest and a man — later identified as Martinez — being held down by the man’s family members, police said. Once Martinez was arrested, a knife was found on the floor, the complaint states.
Gallegos’ wife told police her husband was standing in the kitchen when Martinez walked up from behind, “reached across Christopher’s body” and stabbed him, police said. She told police the incident was “completely unprovoked” as the two men had been friendly toward one another throughout the evening, according to the complaint.
Martinez later told police he was “100% sure I stabbed somebody;” however, he could not recall who he stabbed but remembered having a knife in his hand, police said.
