Jury acquits shooter of first-degree murder in Downtown killing

A jury on Monday acquitted Patrick Saavedra of first-degree murder in the 2021 killing of a homeless man who was fatally shot while sticking up for security guards in Downtown Albuquerque.

But jurors failed to reach a verdict on a lesser charge of second-degree murder in the shooting death of 38-year-old Michael Sanchez near First and Gold SW.

Jury also convicted Saavedra, 41, of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for pointing a gun at an Albuquerque security guard during a shouting match between the two men.

The 2nd Judicial District Court jury reached the verdicts at about 4 p.m. Monday after beginning their deliberations late Friday in Judge Clara Moran’s court.

Assistant District Attorney Derek Berg said they plan to retry Saavedra on the second-degree murder charge. No new trial date has been scheduled.

Prosecutors said Saavedra made a “calculated decision” to shoot Sanchez in the head at close range.

Saavedra’s attorney, Robert Cooper, argued that Saavedra acted in self-defense, believing that Sanchez was armed with a firearm.

“In America, we have a right to defend ourselves,” Cooper said Friday in closing arguments.

Testifying in his own defense last week, Saavedra told jurors that he feared for his life and fired in self-defense as Sanchez stood at the passenger window of Saavedra’s truck on Dec. 9, 2021.

“I feared for my life,” Saavedra told jurors Thursday. “I feared a catastrophic injury that I couldn’t come back from.”

Saavedra also acknowledged that he had pointed a gun at an Albuquerque security guard as the two men argued outside the Alvarado Transportation Center at First and Central SW.

Prosecutor Josh Hasyniec told jurors on Friday that anger was Saavedra’s motive for the killing.

“His desire to harm was growing,” prosecutor Joshua Hasyniec said during closing arguments. “He already wanted to harm someone and now he has Michael Sanchez, this unsheltered man, standing by his passenger side window. Saavedra made a calculated decision to kill Sanchez.”

Hasyniec said Saavedra was initially angered when he found a parking ticket on his truck after a night of heavy drinking at Knockouts Gentleman’s Club, 311 Central NW.

Saavedra testified that he was “frustrated” by the ticket and drove around the Downtown area searching for the person who had issued the ticket. Saavedra began following a city-owned vehicle, he told jurors.

He pulled up beside the vehicle outside the Alvarado Transportation Center at First and Central where he engaged in a noisy and lengthy argument with security guard Anthony Aragon through their vehicle windows. At one point, Saavedra pointed a handgun at Aragon.

Saavedra said he then turned his attention to Sanchez, who walked up from his encampment at First and Gold, shouting, “leave my officers alone.”

Saavedra said Sanchez walked up to the passenger’s side window and the two men argued. Then Sanchez raised his hands, causing Saavedra to believe Sanchez was holding a gun, he told jurors.

Albuquerque police obtained a photo of Saavedra’s license plate from a security guard who had observed both the shooting and the argument between Saavedra and Aragon.

Police traced the license plate number to Saavedra’s truck, which they found parked in the driveway of Saavedra’s home, where he was arrested the next morning.