Vehicle burglary ended in homicide
ABQ man’s trial begins in fatal stabbing of truck owner in Four Hills
An Albuquerque man is on trial this week, accused of breaking into a truck and stabbing the owner to death during a confrontation in a Four Hills driveway.
In an opening statement Monday, Tyler Hernandez’s defense attorney Daniel Salazar said his client is not the person responsible for Bill McKinley’s December 26, 2015, death and later suggested that McKinley “attacked” the burglars.
“The evidence is going to show that Tyler Hernandez may have been a thief and nothing more,” said Salazar, who also told jurors the defense doesn’t contest the fact that police found McKinley’s tools in Hernandez’s room.
Prosecutor Collin Brennan said McKinley’s neighbor heard a banging sound early that morning and looked out his window to see McKinley, dressed in Captain America pajamas, staggering up his driveway, dripping with blood and crying for help.
“What you will hear is that Bill McKinley was out there confronting an act of injustice just as Captain America would,” Brennan said.
McKinley died later of his injuries, but before his death he offered a description of the suspects and their vehicle. Tips from other people led police to Hernandez.
Brennan said police quickly determined the case was an auto burglary that escalated to a homicide.
“Bill’s life was taken,” he said, “all over a set of power tools.”
Salazar argued that McKinley “attacked” the men who were breaking into the truck. He said that when police found Hernandez, he had injuries on his face that suggested he had been in a fight.
“To right the injustice of somebody stealing his stuff, he went out there ... (he) tried to kick some butt,” Salazar said. “We’re gonna disagree about the wisdom of that.”
Hernandez faces charges that include second-degree murder. His trial continues today.