Testimony underway in trial of man charged in woman's shooting death

Prosecutors told jurors this week that Alexander Ortiz fatally shot his ex-girlfriend in her bedroom last year, then fled out a ground-floor window as others kicked in a locked door.

An attorney for Ortiz responded Tuesday that police identified the wrong man in the Jan. 11, 2024, shooting death of 23-year-old Alianna Farfan.

Testimony began Tuesday in Ortiz’s trial on a charge of first-degree murder in Farfan’s killing. The 2nd Judicial District Court trial is scheduled through Friday before Judge Cindy Leos.

In February, a pretrial hearing in the case turned violent when Farfan’s uncle leaped over a railing in Leos’ courtroom and attacked Ortiz, setting off a brawl that involved several members of both families.

At least three people involved in the melee have been charged with battery on a peace officer and other charges and have been barred from entering the Bernalillo County Courthouse.

Leos on Tuesday admonished spectators at Ortiz’s trial that no outbursts would be tolerated and any violators would be banned from the courthouse.

In a separate case, Ortiz is charged in the shooting death of Nichole Maldonado, 25, outside Adam Food Market at Central and Indiana on Jan. 17, 2024, six days after Farfan’s killing.

Ortiz is charged with first-degree murder and other charges in Maldonado’s killing and is scheduled for trial in March.

Assistant District Attorney Derek Berg told jurors on Tuesday that Ortiz fatally shot Farfan, his ex-girlfriend, in her bedroom and fled out of the ground-floor window. Police found the window open and the screen pushed out.

“At some point during this day, Alliana Farfan and Alexander Ortiz went into her bedroom,” Berg said. “The door was closed. The door was locked, and shortly after, a gunshot went off.”

Two other people in the apartment kicked open the door and found Farfan lying on the floor, fatally shot, he said.

“When they went inside the bedroom, Alexander Ortiz was gone,” Berg told jurors. “Alexander Ortiz was gone, the window was open, and Alliana (Farfan) was on the floor with a gunshot wound to her head.”

No weapons were found in the bedroom, he said.

Berg also told jurors that Ortiz entered the bedroom with the intent of killing Farfan.

Ortiz’s attorney, John McCall, told jurors that police focused on Ortiz to the exclusion of other suspects. He also said another man in the apartment that day had a motive to kill Farfan.

“The entire story that you just heard about the murder is just that — it’s a story,” McCall told jurors. “What kind of investigation was done of this story? Was it accepted lock, stock and barrel, and was it really consistent?”

Farfan’s apartment was a chaotic environment the day of the killing, with many people entering and exiting the residence, McCall said.

“The apartment had gotten the attention of the neighbors,” McCall said. “We’ve got a highly volatile, emotional, loud situation at that apartment.”