Marcos Fernandez Ramirez, 26, was shot and killed on November 13, 2024, after arranging to sell a firearm at the Hilltop Shopping Center parking lot on West 21st Street in Clovis, New Mexico. Court records say four juveniles, aged 15 to 16, met Ramirez for the sale; one juvenile allegedly fired into the back seat of a black car after Ramirez entered it, and Ramirez was pushed out onto the pavement. He later died at Plains Regional Medical Center.

A man who accompanied Ramirez returned fire, wounding two youths; one suffered a neck wound and was in critical condition, the other was treated for an arm injury. The other two juveniles were tracked to a nearby home and taken into custody. Investigators say the juveniles had planned to rob Ramirez with counterfeit money; their vehicle crashed into a residence during the exchange and the firearm Ramirez intended to sell was left in his car.

Four juveniles identified in court filings are Gustavo Hererra Jr., 15; Jacob Lavato, 16; Jacob Garcia, 16; and Diego Corona. They face charges including murder, kidnapping, and conspiracy to commit robbery; Hererra also faces tampering with evidence. Authorities are evaluating whether to try them as adults. Ramirez’s family described him as an honorable former U.S. Marine who enlisted after graduating Clovis High School in 2016.

Did anyone see the meeting at Hilltop Shopping Center that afternoon or know more about the planned sale?