Two convicted in 2020 execution-style killing

A jury on Monday convicted two men of first-degree murder and other charges in a 2020 execution-style killing of 33-year-old Antonio Jaramillo, who was found bound and shot in the head in his northwest Albuquerque home.

Charles Robinson, 46, and Walter Palmon Eddings, 42, both were also convicted of armed robbery, aggravated burglary and conspiracy in Jaramillo’s death.

The verdicts followed a weeklong trial in 2nd Judicial District Court before Judge David Murphy.

The first-degree murder convictions require each man to serve at least 30 years in prison. No sentencing hearings have been scheduled.

The trial was the second for both men. A mistrial was declared in the pair’s first trial in September 2024 for reasons that the judge did not explain at the time.

“The conviction of these two defendants represents an important step toward justice for Mr. Jaramillo and his loved ones,” Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said in a statement. “We hope today’s verdict brings some measure of peace and closure to his family after nearly five years of waiting for accountability.”

Albuquerque police found Jaramillo fatally shot on Dec. 16, 2020, in a bedroom of his house in the 2600 block of Eighth NW. Jaramillo had been bound by his wrists and ankles and shot once in the head, witnesses testified.

In the first trial, prosecutors alleged that Robinson planned to rob Jaramillo and recruited others to help him.

Defense attorneys told jurors that the case against Robinson and Eddings relied on the testimony of convicted felons who had reached plea deals that required them to testify.

Among the co-defendants is Reyanon Duncan, 37, a longtime friend of Jaramillo’s, who pleaded guilty in February 2024 to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and armed robbery in Jaramillo’s killing and faces up to 18 years in prison. Her sentencing hearing has not been scheduled.

A second co-conspirator, Gabriel Joseph Blea, 28, pleaded guilty in June 2024 to charges of conspiracy to commit armed robbery, kidnapping and other charges and faces up to 42 years in prison. His sentencing hearing has not been scheduled.