Teen arrested, charged with two others in connection with shooting near Old Town

Three teenagers are accused of shooting a man multiple times during a robbery near Old Town last year.

Johnathan Gurrola, 17, was arrested on Thursday. He is the third person the Albuquerque Police Department has arrested in connection with the 2025 fatal shooting of Luis Ortiz. The others are Heriberto Hernandez and Gurrola’s cousin, Brayan Gurrola. Both are 17, APD spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said in a news release Thursday. 

It is unclear when Brayan Gurrola and Hernandez were arrested.

Johnathan Gurrola is charged with an open count of murder, shooting at or from a vehicle, armed robbery, tampering with evidence and possession of a handgun by a person under 19.

Grand juries charged Brayan Gurrola and Hernandez with several crimes, including first-degree murder and armed robbery, according to court records.

On Monday, Brayan Gurrola was released on personal recognizance, court records state. Hernandez, who pleaded not guilty on Feb. 6, remains behind bars after a prosecutor's request for pretrial detention was granted.

Prosecutors filed a motion to keep Hernandez behind bars, saying, "Once charged with first-degree murder, a serious youthful offender is no longer a juvenile within the meaning of the Delinquency Act, and therefore is no longer entitled to its protections."

Brayan Gurrola told detectives that on May 18, 2025, he reached out to Ortiz on Instagram about buying alcohol from him in a parking lot at Rio Grande and Aspen NW, Gallegos said.

While en route, Hernandez "and his juvenile co-defendants discussed and planned to rob Mr. Ortiz," according to a motion for pretrial detention. 

"Armed with at least one gun, the defendants arrived at the meetup location, near Old Town, and three of them, including (Hernandez), exited the vehicle, approached Mr. Ortiz's car, and according to one of the co-defendants, made statements indicating they were robbing Mr. Ortiz."

The teens then shot at and into Ortiz's car 10 times. Ortiz tried to drive away before crashing into a nearby house, according to the motion. 

Video surveillance showed a truck drive away, but about five minutes later, the teens returned, grabbed Ortiz's rifle and alcohol from his car, then fired one more shot, the motion states.

"Afterwards, one of the co-defendants recalls Hernandez 'showing off' the rifle they stole from Mr. Ortiz," according to court documents.

Gregory R.C. Hasman is a general assignment reporter and the Road Warrior. He can be reached at ghasman@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3820.