Jurors handed trial in 2019 Pokémon Go killing

Jurors heard closing arguments late Wednesday in the trial of a man charged with fatally shooting an innocent bystander in 2019 as she played Pokémon Go with her boyfriend.

A prosecutor told jurors that Izaiah Garcia fired the fatal shots in the mistaken belief that he was shooting at a hated rival.

Garcia, 23, is charged with first-degree murder and other crimes in the shooting death of 21-year-old Cayla Campos at a Northeast Albuquerque park.

Garcia’s attorney told jurors that police conducted a “sloppy investigation” that focused on Garcia and ignored his co-defendant, who testified against Garcia in the trial.

Jurors will continue deliberations Thursday in the 2nd Judicial District Court trial before Judge Joseph Montano.

Campos and her boyfriend were driving on a residential street when they drove up on an armed robbery near Bianchetti Park, near Chelwood Park and Lomas NE. Campos was shot in the head as she attempted to drive away from the scene on Oct. 18, 2019.

Assistant Attorney General John Duran told jurors that Garcia assumed that the approaching driver was a hated rival who had fled the scene in his SUV moments before.

“He killed Cayla Campos intentionally, but he did so thinking it was somebody else,” Duran said.

Garcia was sentenced in March 2023 to life plus 2½ years in prison after a 2nd Judicial District Court jury convicted him of first-degree murder in another 2019 fatal shooting.

In that case, Garcia shot 17-year-old Sean Markey, a Sandia High School student, as Markey was waiting for a ride outside a school homecoming party on Sept. 29, 2019.

Prosecutors allege that the intended target in both fatal shootings was Christian Mattock, 21. Jurors last year found Garcia guilty of aggravated assault for shooting at Mattock at the scene of Markey’s killing.

Garcia “hates Christian Mattock,” Duran told jurors on Wednesday. “He hates him to death.”

Garcia “was hunting Christian Mattock,” Duran added. “He had been hunting (Mattock) since September (2019).”

Garcia’s attorney, Kelly Golightley, said the shooting had garnered national news and Albuquerque police were eager to make an arrest quickly.

“They put the blinders on and move forward against Izaiah (Garcia),” Golightley told jurors. “And guess what? Within 10 days, Izaiah is arrested.”

Golightley said that police found eight gunshot impacts following the shooting but found only five shell casings in the street.

“That means there’s more than one shooter,” she said.

Golightley also attempted to cast doubt on the testimony of Garcia’s co-defendant, Gabriel Marquez, who testified last week that he saw Garcia shoot multiple rounds at Campos’ car.

Golightley said Marquez “is the only person that says Izaiah (Garcia) is the shooter, identifies him by name, not description.”

Marquez, 22, told jurors last week that he was riding in Garcia’s car the night of Campos’ killing and helped Garcia rob the occupants of a Ford Mustang on Granite NE moments before the killing.

Marquez said he had stolen a bag of chicken nuggets and a Louis Vuitton belt from the Mustang at the time Campos pulled up in her car.

Marquez also told jurors that he had owned the AK-47 rifle that Garcia allegedly fired at Campos’ vehicle. Marquez said he bought the weapon in response to an earlier violent encounter with Mattock, who had beaten and pistol-whipped Marquez.

Golightley told jurors that Marquez had reason to lie to jurors about his role in exchange for a favorable plea deal.

“Gabe (Marquez) is the owner of the rifle,” Golightley said. “Gabe has the grudge against Christian (Mattock). Gabe is the one who was pistol-whipped and shot at by Christian. Gabe has armed himself because of Christian.”

Marquez also testified that he gave the gun to Garcia after the shooting and asked him to sell it.

“Gabe comes to court and said that Izaiah (Garcia) did it in exchange for probation,” she said.

Marquez pleaded guilty in 2020 to conspiracy to commit armed robbery and tampering with evidence and faces up to five years of probation. His sentencing hearing has not been scheduled.

The plea agreement also required Marquez to “testify truthfully” in Garcia’s trial.