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Jurors on Friday convicted an Albuquerque man of first-degree murder in the 2023 shooting death of 41-year-old Freddie Litton outside a northeast apartment building.
The conviction requires Andrew Nathan Ramirez, 32, to serve at least 30 years in prison before he is eligible for parole. His sentencing hearing has not been scheduled.
Jurors convicted Ramirez following a three-day trial before 2nd Judicial District Judge Joseph Montano.
Prosecutors relied on security video of the shooting, cellphone text messages and social media postings in their case against Ramirez.
Jurors viewed a text message that prosecutors said was extracted from Ramirez’s cellphone that said, “I killed someone dad I need to get out of here” and sought money from his parents.
A 911 caller reported hearing gunshots and screaming in the 299 block of Charleston NE, just north of Central, shortly before midnight on Nov. 12, 2023, according to a criminal complaint filed in Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court.
Albuquerque police found Litton lying near an apartment complex with a gunshot wound to his chest. He later died in a hospital.
Police received several videos, including one that showed a man chasing Litton, then pointing a handgun with both hands and firing at Litton, the complaint said.
Another video showed Litton stumble into a metal pole and fall to the ground. Another man then walked up to Litton, stopped briefly to adjust his firearm, and then fired an additional shot at Litton before running north.
An informant told police that a man she knew as “Short Dog” told her that he shot Litton “because Freddie was picking on him,” the complaint said. The informant also said that Short Dog’s uncle lived in the apartment building and drove his nephew away from the scene.
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Investigators used the uncle’s Facebook account to develop Ramirez as a suspect based on his similarity to video images of Litton’s attacker, the complaint said.
