A night out in Albuquerque ended in tragedy for 22-year-old Estevan Gomez of Española on the early morning of Saturday, April 18, 2026. After leaving a downtown nightclub with a co-worker, the pair mistakenly approached the wrong vehicle near 3rd Street and Copper Avenue NW. A man across the street, identified as 44-year-old Edwin Sanders, confronted them and accused them of trying to break into his car. Gomez and his co-worker walked away after explaining the mistake.

As Gomez tried to drive away, Sanders fired a single shot through the rear window, striking Gomez. Emergency personnel pronounced Estevan Gomez dead at the scene. Albuquerque Police homicide detectives used witness descriptions, parking garage surveillance and license plate reader data to identify a black Nissan Pathfinder linked to the incident and arrested Edwin Sanders at a California Street NE residence on the night of April 18. He was booked on an open count of murder and multiple related charges.

Does anyone have information about that area or the nightlife scene that night that could help investigators or Gomez’s family?