Man arrested in 2021 killing near Central and Louisiana

Editor's note: The murder case against Loera was dropped in 2024 due to insufficient evidence.

A man police believe fatally shot another man nearly two years ago was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center early Monday morning.

Rogelio “Romeo” Loera, 40, is charged with an open count of murder in the Oct. 28, 2021, death of 42-year-old Travis John.

It is unclear if Loera is represented by an attorney.

At the time of the shooting, Loera was on federal probation after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to court records. His criminal history includes arrests for burglary, auto theft, drug possession and fleeing police.

Police responded to a call about a shooting at an apartment complex in the 6700 block in the 6700 block of Cochiti SE, near Central and Louisiana, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. When officers arrived, they found John, who had been shot in the head and neck outside of one of the apartments.

He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Days later, multiple people contacted Crime Stoppers and identified “Romeo” as the shooter, according to the complaint. Detectives identified Loera as “Romeo” after he was shot in the buttocks in a separate incident that left a man dead.

Police said sometime later, a witness who was in jail told them they were there when Loera shot John in the middle of an argument. The witness said the shooting happened outside of the apartment, where Loera lived with his girlfriend.

Loera then fled the scene, according to the complaint.

Detectives said they knew Loera would stay at the Tewa Lodge and, months after he was initially charged, that’s where he was arrested on Sunday.

Prosecutors filed a motion Monday to detain Loera until trial saying, “It is clear from his actions that human life holds no value to the defendant.”

Prosecutors also said Loera has “an extensive criminal history reaching back 22 years,” according to the motion.