Samuel Cordero

Samuel Cordero was a 60-year-old male caregiver known for his compassion and gentle soul. He lived with his mother in Pojoaque, New Mexico, and was a dedicated employee at MorningStar Assisted Living & Memory Care in Santa Fe.

In the early morning hours of August 10, 2022, Cordero was found shot to death under a pavilion at Ragle Park in Santa Fe. A man walking his dog discovered his body at approximately 4:37 a.m. An investigation determined Cordero had died from a single gunshot wound to the back of his head. He had left his job around 2 a.m. and, according to investigators, had arranged to meet 15-year-old Judah Trujillo at the park through the LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr.

Detectives used GPS data to place both Cordero and Trujillo in the park at the time of the shooting, determining they were the only two people present. Cordero’s cell phone was later found discarded on the side of Rodeo Road. Trujillo was arrested on September 28, 2022, and charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence for disposing of the phone. His mother was also later charged in connection with the case.

During his trial, prosecutors argued Trujillo went to the park with the intent to kill Cordero, possibly to rob him. The defense maintained that the shooting was not premeditated but was the result of a sexual encounter that went wrong. Trujillo testified that Cordero became aggressive after he refused to go to a more secluded area, leading to an altercation. He claimed he fired the gun over his shoulder while trying to get away and did not know he had hit Cordero. In November 2023, a jury convicted Trujillo, then 17, of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

In February 2024, a judge sentenced Trujillo to 25 years in prison. His case was later appealed to the New Mexico Supreme Court, which issued a unanimous opinion in July 2024. The justices reversed the first-degree murder conviction, ruling that prosecutors had failed to provide sufficient evidence of "willful and deliberate" intent. The court stated that the evidence could not distinguish the killing from a "rash and impulsive" act and that the jury was left to speculate on Trujillo's mental state. The Supreme Court directed the lower court to enter a judgment of second-degree murder and resentence Trujillo.