Testimony begins in woman's 2023 shooting death in her West Side home

Prosecutors told jurors on Tuesday that Austin Wilkins was one of three men who participated in a botched robbery that led to the 2023 shooting death of a woman at her West Side home in front of her 10-year-old daughter.

Wilkins, 29, is charged with first-degree murder, attempted robbery and other charges in the fatal shooting of 33-year-old Brandy McManus, who was fatally shot through her door after she refused to admit two mask-wearing men.

Wilkins’ trial in 2nd Judicial District Court is scheduled through Friday before Judge Matthew Chavez.

Both defense and prosecution attorneys told jurors that the case will rely heavily on the testimony of Wilkins’ two co-defendants and their motives for implicating Wilkins in the attempted robbery.

“You are going to hear why these guys may or may not have a motive to bring Austin (Wilkins) into this, and that’s really going to be the crux of this case,” Assistant District Attorney Derek Berg told jurors.

Wilkins’ attorney, John McCall, responded that Wilkins’ was not present at the woman’s home at the time of the fatal shooting and had no part in the botched robbery.

McCall also told jurors that Wilkins’ two co-defendants repeatedly changed their stories in police interviews. Each have their own motives to implicate Wilkins.

“You are going to see how these lies are permeating through everything that these two young men are doing,” McCall said of the co-defendants.

Joseph Montoya, 33, pleaded guilty in July to second-degree murder, attempted robbery and other charges in McManus’ death, court records show. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 5.

Montoya’s plea agreement remains sealed. Montoya is expected to testify that he fired the fatal gunshot and that Wilkins was at his side at the time, Berg said.

The second co-defendant, Kristopher Darling, 25, is charged with first-degree murder and other charges in McManus’ killing. His trial is scheduled for Oct. 6. Berg said Darling is negotiating a plea agreement.

McCall told jurors that Darling had a grudge against Wilkins over a woman who had a relationship with both men and had a child with each man.

“Darling was not happy with Austin Wilkins at all,” McCall said. “The point here is that the animus or the anger, the frustration against this man, has built up over this time period.”

Prosecutors contend that Darling drove himself and the two men to McManus’ home in the 6000 block of Canis NW, then parked nearby while Montoya and Wilkins approached the home to demand firearms from McManus’ husband, who was working an extra shift at the time.

After the shooting, the two men exchanged gunfire with McManus’ neighbor, who came out of his home with a firearm after hearing the gunshot, police wrote in a criminal complaint. No one was injured in the gunfight.

The daughter, who was uninjured, phoned McManus’ husband, who called 911, the complaint said.

Albuquerque police required nine months of investigation to piece together the events and arrest the three men, Berg said. Jurors will have little physical evidence to rely on, he said, “but what does exist is overwhelming, compelling testimony.”