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Elaina Gomez-Villeda, 40, was charged with murder after her 10-year-old son shot and killed a teenage neighbor during a fight over loud music on Oct. 31, 2026, at an apartment complex in Northeast Albuquerque. Gomez-Villeda is accused of telling the boy to retrieve her handgun during the confrontation. A judge has ordered her held until trial.

Keinerlein Rangel, 16, lived with her mother, Susana Rangel, and her father in the complex in the 200 block of Tennessee Street, north of Central Avenue. The family had recently moved into their apartment. On Halloween, Keinerlein and her mother were listening to music when Gomez-Villeda knocked on their door to complain about the volume. Susana Rangel told her the music was not loud, and Gomez-Villeda returned to her apartment.

A few minutes later, the mother and daughter went outside to install a security camera over their front door. Gomez-Villeda came outside and renewed the argument. She is accused of punching both of them. Susana Rangel later described a fight in which her daughter intervened.

Gomez-Villeda's son tried to pull his mother away from the fight but was unable to do so. After she told him to get her handgun, he returned with a revolver and fired once, striking Keinerlein in the head. She died at the scene.

Gomez-Villeda took her son inside their apartment and closed the door. She contacted her husband before calling 911, telling him in a text message, "I'm probably going to jail right now." During the emergency call, she said she had been "jumped" and that her son had shot one of the people involved.

Keinerlein's father learned of the shooting from his wife. He went to Gomez-Villeda's apartment, tried to open the door and broke a window. Gomez-Villeda fired a gun from inside while still on the phone with 911. She later told detectives she fired to scare him away because he was trying to force his way in. She also told detectives that her neighbors had attacked her.

Arriving officers saw gunfire from inside the apartment and took cover. Gomez-Villeda later came outside carrying a gun. An officer fired toward her, hitting a pillar without injuring anyone. She dropped the gun and surrendered.

Investigators recovered the revolver used to kill Keinerlein outside Gomez-Villeda's apartment. It was listed as stolen in a national database. A search of the apartment also turned up other unsecured firearms. Homicide detectives are investigating Keinerlein's death, and a multi-agency task force is investigating the officer's gunfire.

Charges filed on Nov. 1 included an open count of murder, child abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, negligently making a firearm accessible to a minor, battery and receiving a stolen firearm. Gomez-Villeda remains at the Metropolitan Detention Center under the order holding her until trial. Her son has not been charged. Detectives, prosecutors and state officials are considering potential charges in light of his age.