Third man charged in teen’s slaying
Detectives arrested a 20-year-old man accused of helping two friends rob and kill a teenager at a park in Northeast Albuquerque last month.
JaJuan “Jay Jay” Bennett is charged with an open count of murder, robbery with a deadly weapon, shooting at or from a motor vehicle resulting in death and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the Aug. 8 death of Donnie “DJ” Brandon, who was 16 or 17.
Luis Ayala, 17, and Armando Rodriguez, 18, were both arrested last month and face similar charges.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court:
Police responded around 1:30 a.m. to the shooting at Sandia Vista Park, near Interstate 40 and Juan Tabo, and found Brandon shot to death. Brandon’s girlfriend, who was at the scene, later identified the shooters as Ayala, Rodriguez and two others.
On Aug. 10, officers arrested Rodriguez, who told them Bennett was also involved. Rodriguez said the three tried to buy a gun off Brandon but realized they didn’t have enough money, so they decided to rob him.
Rodriguez told police they surrounded Brandon’s vehicle at the park and tried to take the gun from him. He said a struggle ensued and Ayala shot Brandon before they took the gun and fled.
Rodriguez denied shooting Brandon but told police Bennett said he had also shot Brandon during the robbery. An autopsy showed Brandon was shot multiple times, at point-blank range, and his girlfriend said she saw each suspect fire at him.
When officers searched Rodriguez’s apartment they found three handguns, including the one allegedly stolen from Brandon during the slaying.