Police arrested the teenager suspected to be involved in the shooting death of a former correction officer in a Snapchat-fueled hostage-scheme murder that occured in February of last year.
The mother of the victim blasted the teenage girl for taking "everything away from [them]" after killing her son. Authorities identified the female suspect as 18-year-old Anna Bella Dukes who was taken into custody on Monday for her alleged involvement in the murder.
Snapchat-Fueled Kidnap-Scheme Murder
The victim was identified to be former correction officer Elias Otero who was killed in Albuquerque in February 2021. The mother of the victim, Alicia Otero, said that the teen and other people involved in the horrendous crime should be imprisoned.
She said that she believed Dukes should pay for the crime that she committed and that she and others should be given life sentences. She questioned how someone could commit such a horrifying crime.
Alicia, who has been fighting for tougher laws in the New Mexico area in the United States in the wake of her son's death, said she would be "devastated" if the teenage girl ended up being released on bail under the state's reform laws. "We've had bail reform in New Mexico and it's been a failure. They are just letting them out," said the mother of the victim, the New York Post reported.
It was reported that Otero, the victim, was shot to death last year while trying to defend his brother, whom police at the time said was kidnapped. Authorities have accused Dukes of luring the kidnap victim through social media, specifically Snapchat.
Investigators said that Otero's younger brother picked up a girl that he met online in a red Lexus on Feb. 11, 2021. However, it turned out the incident was a setup that Dukes orchestrated with 17-year-old Adrian Avila and two other suspects.
Fatal Shooting
In a statement released by police, they said that the suspects dragged the kidnap victim from his red Lexus and demanded cash, jewelry, and a gun from him. Officials added that they entered the Lexus and another vehicle, holding the victim at gunpoint, and drove to the victim's residence. The suspects allegedly had the victim call his brother and have him bring the money and a gun outside and threatened to kill the kidnapped victim, MSN reported.
Police charged the 18-year-old suspect with murder, kidnapping, two counts of armed robbery, tampering with evidence, and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. In response to the threats, Otero said he would shoot the individuals as he walked outside. However, Dukes' boyfriend, Avila, shot Otero immediately, killing him.
Last month, Avila turned himself in and was given the same charges as Dukes for the murder of Otero. Alicia said that she and her family were wishing every day for justice for their beloved and wanted the perpetrators to pay for what they did. "Knowing they finally turned themselves in just, it feels good that it's not gonna go unsolved," said Alicia, Complex reported. Police said that they believe the incident was not the first time that the suspects engaged in such crimes and accused them of utilizing similar tactics in a carjacking prior to the murder.
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