Bicycle theft-turned-homicide nets gunman 20-year prison sentence

A bicycle theft that escalated to a fatal shooting led to a 20-year prison sentence Wednesday for an Albuquerque man who shot and killed 43-year-old Isaac Candelaria at an Old Town bus stop in 2019.

Elijah Amos, 22, pleaded guilty last month to second-degree murder and armed robbery in Candelaria’s shooting death.

Amos remained on the lam for a year and a half after the killing, apparently living in a homeless shelter for at least part of that time.

Prosecutors said the fatal encounter began when Amos stole Candelaria’s bicycle at a Central Avenue bus stop near Rio Grande Boulevard.

Amos “wanted Mr. Candelaria’s bike and was willing to kill him over that bike,” Assistant District Attorney Mia Rubin said Wednesday at Amos’ sentencing hearing.

“After (Amos) took the bike, a fight ensued as Mr. Candelaria attempted to get his bike back,” Rubin told 2nd Judicial District Judge Cindy Leos. “Mr. Candelaria lost his life attempting to get that bike back.”

Candelaria’s sister, Bernadette Devargas, spoke directly to Amos, who attended the virtual hearing via Zoom from the Metropolitan Detention Center.

“I love my brother with all my heart,” Devargas said. “I don’t even know if I have forgiveness for you. I really hope you have time to reflect on the person you took away from us.”

Amos spoke briefly at his sentencing hearing and made an attempt to apologize to Candelaria’s family.

“I want to say sorry to the family, but I know they don’t want to hear all that,” Amos said. “I didn’t walk up with the intention of taking this man’s life. I got thrown into the street while I was pedaling and the gun came out. So I made a bad choice.”

Albuquerque police responded to the scene about 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 16, 2019, and found Candelaria critically injured by a gunshot wound. He died at a hospital.

A witness told police that Candelaria had leaned his bicycle against the bus stop shelter when a second man approached and pulled a handgun from his jacket pocket, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. Amos attempted to ride off on the bike, “however, he had trouble balancing the bike because of the gun in his hand,” the witness said.

When Candelaria tried to retrieve his bike, the gunman fell into the street, then fired a single shot, fatally injuring Candelaria, the complaint said. The gunman then rode away on the bike.

Amos evaded capture for about 19 months after the killing, apparently staying at the city’s Westside Emergency Housing Center and working out in mixed martial arts gyms around the city, an informant told police.

In August 2020, an informant told police that Amos hid in the Rio Grande bosque for two days after the killing, “then went to the west side shelter for months,” the informant said.

Amos was arrested and booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Sept. 1, 2020, court records show.