Police probe girl’s death near Belen
Victim was shot in the head and struck by unknown vehicle
RIO COMMUNITIES — A party on the banks of the Rio Grande ended in the death of an Albuquerque teenager and injury of a Belen man Sunday night.
Valencia County deputies responded to a call about a shooting at the river, west of the Allsup’s Convenience Store at 2348 N.M. 47, at about 9 p.m., Sunday. The river is accessible north of the store.
When deputies arrived, they found Vanessa Ordonez, 16, of Albuquerque, dead, and 33-year-old Casey Peralta of Belen with a gunshot wound to the face.
Ordonez was shot in the head and had been struck by a vehicle.
Valencia County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Jeff Noah said Peralta drove himself from the river east to the store, where he was located by deputies.
“We don’t know if the same person shot them both, and we don’t know who struck the girl with their vehicle,” Noah said.
The Office of the Medical Investigator is working to determine Ordonez’s exact cause of death, the chief deputy said.
Valencia County Sheriff’s Office Lt. James Harris said Peralta was transported to an Albuquerque hospital with what appeared to be non life-threatening injuries.
“We presently have no information on suspects,” Harris said. “There was a party going on (at the river) when several fights broke out, shots were fired by one individual, but we don’t know if there were others. Alcohol was involved.”
New Mexico State Police assisted in processing the scene, the lieutenant said.
“This initiated by the river and spilled over to the store,” he said. “The majority of the people we’ve spoken to in this investigation have been from Albuquerque.”
Noah said more than 20 people from the party have been interviewed and the VCSO is asking anyone who was at the party to call the sheriff’s office at 866-2400.
“We want to know who else was down there,” he said. “Anyone who was there can call and ask to speak to a detective.”