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Police arrest fourth boy in 2024 death of bicyclist
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A fourth boy was arrested Wednesday in the hit-and-run killing of a bicyclist in Northeast Albuquerque after police say they identified his voice in a video the teenagers recorded of the incident.
Elijah Engelking, 16, is charged with an open count of murder, conspiracy and leaving the scene of an accident involving great bodily harm or death in the May 29, 2024, death of 63-year-old Scott Habermehl.
Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said he could not release Engelking’s criminal complaint, which was sealed in online court records.
Engelking is one of four boys arrested in the case. William Garcia, 16, Johnathan Overbay, 13, and Messiah Hayes, 11, are also facing an open count of murder.
Around 4:40 a.m. the day of the incident, Habermehl was biking to work when four boys in a stolen vehicle recorded a video while discussing whether to hit him, according to police.
As Overbay, the alleged driver, said he was about to hit the bicyclist, a backseat passenger, believed to be Engelking, said, “Just bump him, brah,” Gallegos said in a news release. Overbay said, “Like bump him?” before Engleking suggested going 15 to 20 mph.
Overbay swerved to hit Habermehl on Moon NE, near Constitution, and he rolled on top of the car and fell to the ground, police said.
In February, police received a tip that a cellphone video of the crash had been posted on social media. A month later, detectives interviewed Engelking, who denied being in the car at the time of the crash, Gallegos said.
“Several people told detectives they recognized the sound of Engelking’s voice when the video was shared on social media,” Gallegos said. “Detectives also determined Engelking shared details about the crash and the police investigation with friends through social media conversations.”
