Nicolas Candelaria, 23, was fatally shot on November 1, 2023, inside the front door of a residence in the 500 block of Atlantic Avenue SW in Albuquerque. Police responded after a ShotSpotter alert and a call from Candelaria’s roommate and found him deceased. Investigators describe the shooting as the result of a drug deal turned robbery: two people, Lanise Padilla, 23, and Richard Anderson, 24, reportedly went to buy one gram of cocaine but intended to steal the drugs. APD says Anderson allegedly shot Candelaria three times as the victim appeared to reach for a gun, then took the drugs and fled.

Arrests were made on November 25, 2023. Padilla was stopped in a vehicle without a license plate; the vehicle believed tied to the homicide was impounded. Anderson was taken into custody at a residence in the 1000 block of Marapi Street NW. As of December 5, 2023, Anderson was ordered to remain in custody and prosecutors sought pretrial detention for Padilla. Padilla was previously linked at age 16 to the death of Hector Aguirre during a 2016 incident involving a group called the Get Hard Crew.

Anyone with information about Nicolas Candelaria’s death or the events that led to that night is asked to come forward.