Wife's alleged accomplice charged in West Side homicide

A man is behind bars after police say he was with a woman when she shot and killed her husband during a domestic dispute last week in Southwest Albuquerque.

James Sena, 34, is charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the July 5 death of Joel Valdez, 39. Sena was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on Monday.

Sena’s attorney could not be reached Wednesday.

Joel Valdez’s wife, 39-year-old Erica Valdez, was booked into MDC last week on an open count of murder and other charges in her husband’s death.

Police say Erica and Joel Valdez got into multiple confrontations on July 4 and, at one point, Erica Valdez opened fire on the home they shared. Soon after, relatives found Joel Valdez shot to death down the street.

Joel Valdez’s daughter told police she saw Erica Valdez’s vehicle leaving the area where her father’s body was found, according to court records. Police say testing of the bullet casings found at the home and homicide scene showed two guns were used.

Prosecutors have filed a motion to detain Sena until trial, saying he “worked together with Erica Valdez to shoot and kill (her husband)” and the two were suspected in a shooting one day earlier.

Sena’s ex-girlfriend reported a drive-by shooting on July 3 and told authorities she saw Erica Valdez’s vehicle leaving after the gunfire stopped, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. In that incident, bullet casings from two guns were found outside the ex-girlfriend’s home.

Soon after, Sena and Erica Valdez — a gun with an extended clip tucked into her yoga pants — went to the workplace of Sena’s other ex-girlfriend and asked where she was, according to police.

Less than 48 hours later, Joel Valdez was shot and killed.

Police said Sena’s ex-girlfriend told them she and Joel Valdez had confronted Erica Valdez and Sena at a Motel 6 hours earlier. She said both Erica Valdez and Sena pointed guns at Joel Valdez before the pair left.

A “short time later,” Erica Valdez showed up to the home she shared with Joel Valdez, put a gun to his chest and shot up the house, according to the complaint. After reviewing surveillance video from the neighborhood, detectives believed Sena was in the car with Erica Valdez because Joel Valdez could be heard yelling “oh, he’s in there” before the gunfire erupted.

Police said Joel Valdez could be seen getting into his own car and leaving the area in the same direction as Erica Valdez. Minutes later, his body was found laying in the road outside his car.