A northwest Albuquerque man accused of fatally shooting a woman and stealing her bag because he believed it held money owed to him has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed robbery, more than a year and a half after the killing. Noe Vega, now facing sentencing, is scheduled to learn his fate Thursday at 2 p.m., with a possible sentence of 25 to 32 years in prison.
A Shooting That Began With a Theft Accusation
Vega pleaded guilty in March, roughly a year after the shooting, according to KOB 4. The case traces back to a shooting shortly before 7:30 p.m. in the area of 120 57th St. NW, where a woman was shot and later died at the hospital, as reported by KRQE. Police found her on the sidewalk with a bullet wound to her head, and a matching casing was recovered at the scene, according to the Albuquerque Journal.
A witness told police he heard the gunshot and looked outside to see a man take what he described as a small, black bag from the woman, the newspaper's report states. According to the criminal complaint, Vega later told police he shot the woman and took her bag thinking it had his money in it. Per detectives, Vega believed the woman's boyfriend had stolen money and drugs from him earlier that day and said he decided to shoot her to send the boyfriend a message, the same outlet reported.
How Investigators Zeroed In on Vega
Detectives said Vega matched the description of the suspect seen at the scene. Police conducted surveillance on him while officers spoke with neighbors who reportedly heard the gunshot, the station's report notes. Officers ultimately detained Vega while he was armed with a handgun, and a search turned up a 9mm handgun with ammunition that matched the casing found at the scene, per the Journal's account.
From Open Charges to a Grand Jury Indictment
Vega was initially charged with an open count of murder, robbery and tampering with evidence. The case has now ended in a guilty plea to the lesser charge of second-degree murder, along with armed robbery.
Sentencing Hearing Looms Thursday
Vega is scheduled for sentencing Thursday at 2 p.m., where he faces 25 to 32 years in prison, according to KOB 4's reporting.
