Jurors find man guilty of first-degree murder in teen's 2019 death

A jury on Tuesday found Matthew Wood guilty of first-degree murder and other charges for his role in the 2019 shooting death of a teenager outside a West Side apartment complex.

Prosecutors argued that Wood, 24, helped plan and carry out a robbery that led to the death of 17-year-old Noah Tafoya, who had intended to sell a gun to Wood’s co-defendant.

“Nobody won here,” Tafoya’s grandfather, Steven Gutierrez, said after 2nd Judicial District Judge David Murphy read the verdicts. Both families lost a child as a result of the tragedy, Gutierrez said.

“The only difference is, on birthdays and holidays, they can go see their boy,” he said of Wood’s family. “We can’t go see our Noah.”

Jurors deliberated about seven hours Tuesday before reaching guilty verdicts on five felony counts. In addition to first-degree felony murder, Wood was convicted of aggravated battery, aggravated assault, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, and conspiracy.

However, jurors deadlocked on a single count of armed robbery.

The first-degree murder conviction requires Wood to serve a minimum sentence of 30 years in prison before he becomes eligible for parole. His sentencing hearing has not been scheduled.

Wood’s co-defendant, Everton “Trey” McNab, 24, pleaded guilty in 2022 to second-degree murder in Tafoya’s killing and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Wood’s attorney, Robert Gorence, asked jurors in his closing arguments Monday to consider that McNab had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for fatally shooting Tafoya while Wood was charged with first-degree murder in the same killing.

Assistant District Attorney Christine Jablonsky told jurors in closing arguments Monday that Wood is guilty of first-degree murder because he helped plan the robbery and served as “muscle” for McNab.

McNab robbed Tafoya and both were shot as they struggled for control of a gun in the front seat of Wood’s Toyota Camry, Jablonsky said. Tafoya was found fatally injured in the parking lot of Rio Volcan Apartments, 1919 Ladera NW. The Sept. 12, 2019, gun battle left three others seriously injured, including Wood.

“This is an example of our prosecutors doing great work, presenting solid cases to juries,” Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said in a written statement Tuesday. “We hope this brings some sense of justice to Mr. Tafoya’s family and this community.”

Defendant’s account

Wood testified on Monday that he didn’t know McNab planned to rob Tafoya and learned only a short time earlier that McNab planned to purchase a gun. Wood said he was caught in crossfire and seriously injured as the robbery unfolded.

Tafoya had posted a photo of a handgun on his Facebook page, witnesses testified last week. McNab arranged to purchase it in a Snapchat conversation with Tafoya.

Wood had worked that day at his job at Albuquerque Asphalt, he testified. He and McNab played a pickup game of basketball earlier that evening at the Paradise Hills Community Center, then McNab directed Wood to drive to the apartment complex and park.

McNab told Wood that he planned to buy a firearm, but didn’t suggest that he planned to rob the seller, Wood told jurors.

After they arrived at the apartment complex, McNab told him to “take a walk,” Wood said. Wood walked some distance away and didn’t return to his car until after he heard gunfire, he said. Wood said he did not carry a gun.

Wood testified that he was shot in the chest moments after he returned to his car.

Prosecutors’ account

Prosecutors alleged that Wood served as lookout for the robbery and waited nearby to observe.

Once they arrived at the apartment complex, “Matthew (Wood) got out of the car, went to a position that he could overlook that parking lot, and waited for Noah (Tafoya) to show up,” Jablonsky said.

Tafoya arrived at the complex in a car driven by Jordan Chavez, got out of the car and sat in the passenger seat of Wood’s Toyota Camry to complete the transaction with McNab.

Chavez testified last week that he drew a pistol when he saw Tafoya with his hands up and realized that Tafoya was being robbed.

Prosecutors alleged that Wood approached Chavez’s car, opened the driver’s side door and held a knife to Chavez’s throat.

Chavez then fired two rounds, striking and seriously injuring Wood, Jablonsky said. Chavez was unable to identify Wood in court last week.

Gorence told jurors on Monday that if Wood had been armed with a gun, it would make no sense for him to approach Chavez with a pocket knife after gunfire erupted.

Jablonsky told jurors that Wood fired multiple gunshots at Chavez’s car as it sped from the parking lot.

At the same time, Tafoya was struggling with McNab in Wood’s Camry for control of a firearm, she said.

“Noah (Tafoya) was doing everything he could to stay alive, and you see bullets flying in every direction in that car,” she told jurors. Tafoya was fatally shot in the stomach and the leg during the struggle.

Jablonsky also said that Wood fired the shot that struck Tafoya in the leg. Wood then pulled Tafoya out of the car, and Wood and McNab drove to Presbyterian Hospital, she said.

Gorence told jurors that prosecutors had presented no evidence that Wood carried a gun or fired at Chavez or Tafoya.