A complaint about loud music at an Albuquerque apartment complex turned into a deadly confrontation when a 10-year-old boy allegedly returned from his apartment with a handgun and shot 16-year-old Keinerlein Rangel. His mother, Elaina Gomez-Villeda, 40, is now facing multiple criminal charges after investigators accused her of telling the child to retrieve the weapon during a fight between neighbors.
The incident happened Saturday, October 31, at an apartment complex at 238 Tennessee Street NE, in northeast Albuquerque, New Mexico. Police said the disagreement started when Gomez-Villeda complained about loud music coming from the apartment where Keinerlein lived with her mother, Susana Rangel.
What began as an argument eventually turned physical. According to investigators, Gomez-Villeda got into a fight with Susana. Keinerlein tried to step in, but police said Gomez-Villeda began hitting the teenager. Her young son also became involved, apparently attempting to intervene in the confrontation.
Police allege that Gomez-Villeda then instructed the boy to enter their apartment and bring out her handgun. He followed the instruction, returned with the weapon and fired one shot. The bullet struck Keinerlein, killing the 16-year-old. Gomez-Villeda then allegedly took her son back inside the apartment and shut the door.
Afterward, Gomez-Villeda reportedly sent her husband a message saying, “I’m probably going to jail right now.” She also contacted 911 to report the incident. During her conversation with detectives, she claimed that her neighbors had attacked her after she complained about the loud music.
The confrontation did not end with the shooting. Keinerlein’s father arrived at the apartment complex and learned from his wife that their daughter had been shot. According to Gomez-Villeda’s account, the man tried to force his way into her apartment and broke a window while she was speaking with 911. She told investigators that she picked up a firearm and fired at him to make him leave.
Police officers arrived shortly after 4 p.m. and saw someone fire a gun from inside the apartment. The officers took cover as the situation unfolded. Three people eventually walked out of the residence, followed by Gomez-Villeda, who was carrying a handgun. An officer fired toward her, but the rounds struck a pillar rather than hitting her.
The boy has not been identified because authorities have not charged him. Albuquerque police said detectives are consulting with the District Attorney’s Office and state officials to determine what legal action, if any, may be appropriate given his age. That decision remains pending.
Gomez-Villeda, however, has been charged with an open count of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, child abuse, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, negligently making a firearm accessible to a minor, misdemeanor battery and receiving stolen property involving the firearm. Investigators also said the handgun used in Keinerlein’s killing had been reported stolen from Santa Fe.
Two separate investigations are now underway. Albuquerque homicide detectives are continuing to examine the teenager’s death, while a Multi-Agency Task Force is investigating the officer’s decision to fire during the police response. Authorities have not announced a final outcome in either investigation.
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