Teen charged in fatal northern New Mexico shooting

Police arrested a 16-year-old boy in connection with the fatal shooting of a man north of Las Vegas last week.

Seth Gomez, 16, is charged with second-degree murder, shooting from a motor vehicle, two counts of tampering with evidence and negligent use of a deadly weapon. He was booked into a juvenile detention center in Farmington on Sunday.

New Mexico State Police dispatchers received a call around 12:45 a.m on Friday that 10 to 15 gunshots were heard around 69 County Road in Buena Vista, according to a news release from Wilson Silver, spokesperson for State Police.

Roughly 2 minutes later, officers were dispatched after receiving another call that a man had been shot at the same location, Silver said. Arriving officers found people performing CPR on the man, who was later identified as 30-year-old Malik Richards.

"Officers observed a defect in a blanket being used as a curtain directly in front of where Richards was seated, which appeared to come from the outside of the residence," Silver said.

Police found a used bullet casing roughly 600 yards away from the house and learned that Gomez had fled the scene after the shooting, Silver said. Officers learned Gomez and a group of teens were driving around Buena Vista and drinking alcohol, with multiple witnesses saying Gomez fired a rifle outside of the truck.

Gomez later told police he had fired the gun, according to the release.

Officers arrested Gomez in Santa Rosa and recovered the suspected weapon, which was taken into evidence.

Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.