Man sentenced in 2019 shooting death of guitar prodigy

One of two men who pleaded guilty last month to murder and robbery charges in the 2019 death of a guitar prodigy was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison.

Jose Marquez, 26, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and other charges in the fatal shooting of 20-year-old DeAndre Garcia in a West Side apartment.

Marquez’s co-defendant, Gilbert Salazar, 21, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and faces up to 16 years in prison, court records show. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 31.

Second Judicial District Judge Cindy Leos presides in both cases.

In 2013, at age 13, Garcia was gifted a handcrafted Pimentel and Sons guitar following a standout performance of Pachebel’s Canon at an Albuquerque guitar festival. Garcia later traveled widely, playing in competitions.

Six years later, Garcia was killed by a gunshot wound to the chest. Court documents indicate that Garcia was shot through a door and was not the intended target.

On Oct. 19, 2019, police responded to reports of a shooting at the Eagle Ranch Apartments, near Eagle Ranch and Paseo del Norte NW, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metro Court.

Officers found Garcia on the floor of an apartment — the apartment door riddled with bullet holes. He died at the scene.

A woman who lived in the apartment identified Salazar, her former boyfriend, as one of two men who had chased her through a parking lot to her apartment, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.

The woman said she slammed the door of her apartment and gunshots were fired through the closed door, striking Garcia, the complaint said.

Police said detectives went to Valley High School in November 2019 to speak with Salazar, but he ran from them after they seized his cellphone.

The detective left the homicide unit soon after and another detective was handed the case in May 2021.

Salazar’s phone was tracked to the scene of Garcia’s killing, the complaint said. Marquez later told police that he went with Salazar to the West Side apartment and they both shot through the front door, it said.