County tally

The murder rate in Bernalillo County outside city limits was flat in 2016, at just six.

Despite the large jump in Albuquerque’s murder numbers, the number in the surrounding county remained flat in 2016.

Data provided by the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, which investigates crimes in Bernalillo County outside of Albuquerque city limits, shows there were six murders in 2016.

That’s one fewer than the prior year’s seven.

Two self-defense shootings and deputy-involved shootings are not included in that total.

One of the first incidents of the year was in May, when deputies found Carolyn Jeffery dead of a gunshot wound to her head inside her home in the East Mountains. An 8-yearold and 11-year-old were removed from the home, a spokesman said at the time of her death.

BCSO has declined to provide details regarding the suspected shooter, telling local residents only that they are safe. Homicide Sergeant John Allen said deputies and the District Attorney’s Office will decide on charges in the next couple of months, and he said he won’t release any records until then.

Later in May, 18-year-old Aliyah Garcia was gunned down in a drive-by shooting in the South Valley.

“She was on the phone with her mother when she was shot,” Allen said. “Completely innocent victim.”

Detectives’ investigation led them to a gang of teenagers who have since been implicated in a number of crimes in the city, including a different homicide in the Albuquerque Police Department’s territory. Two twin brothers who were 15 at the time of the crime were arrested and charged, and Allen said he expects there to be more arrests.

In June, a man was shot and killed in an auto parts store parking lot as he headed inside to buy a part. The suspect took off in his car, and later died in a fiery chase and shootout with deputies and police.

In July, a man shot and killed his girlfriend, and dumped her body behind a South Valley home, according to deputies. He then tried to carjack someone at the Route 66 Casino and later holed up in his exwife’s apartment, where he was arrested after an hourslong SWAT standoff.

In August came a double homicide. Deputies have issued a warrant for suspect Eric Ferrer, but have not caught up with him.

Allen attributed the low number of murders to the fact that some of the killings near the county line fell into APD territory. Two fatal shootings were also ruled self-defense.

Three of 2016’s six murders remain unsolved — the Carolyn Jeffery case and the double homicide in August — but Allen said the Jeffery case will be closed early this year, and deputies are hoping to catch the suspect accused of the double homicide and clear that case.

“We’re gonna get him,” Allen said.