ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s been three-and-a-half years since a drive-by shooting in southeast Albuquerque, that killed a 16-year-old boy. Now, the murder case against one of those suspected shooters, is moving forward. Elton Gastelum is one of six teens police identified in connection to that shooting in August 2021 near Wyoming Blvd. and Copper Ave. when the group opened fire on an apartment, killing 16-year-old Gabriel Garcia Zimmerman, who investigators believe was not their intended target. Around 200 casings were recovered from the scene and investigators say the group joked about the killing later in a group text.
The state’s case against Gastelum was on hold while he was being prosecuted in federal court for an unrelated incident. In that case, he was transporting undocumented immigrants near Deming, when he fled from a Border Patrol checkpoint and crashed, killing two of the people he was transporting. Gastelum took a plea deal in that case, and is now serving a ten-year sentence in federal prison.
Meanwhile, Hastelum was back in state district court for a hearing on Thursday, as the state resumes its case against him for the party shooting. Two of the other defendants, Santos Veronica and Johnny Lopez, pled guilty to murder charges and are awaiting sentencing. Three others are still awaiting trial.