A jury in Albuquerque's 2nd Judicial District Court convicted Elton Gastelum, 24, on May 7, 2026, of first-degree felony murder and additional felonies stemming from a 2021 drive-by shooting that killed 16-year-old Gabriel Garcia [1]. Garcia was struck during a shooting attack on an apartment party, and prosecutors pursued the case as a gang-related homicide [1]. Gastelum's conviction marks the first to emerge from a prosecution involving six defendants charged in connection with the attack [1].
Testimony and evidence at trial centered on Gastelum's role in the drive-by, with the state arguing that the shooting was gang-related [1]. Defense counsel Richard Pugh contested the charges, though the jury returned guilty findings on all counts submitted [1]. Judge Cindy Leos presided over the proceedings.
The felony murder conviction carries a mandatory minimum of 30 years before parole eligibility, and the additional felony counts expose Gastelum to up to 31 more years of incarceration [1]. Sentencing was scheduled for May 8, 2026, the day after the verdict [1]. The remaining five defendants in the broader gang-related prosecution have not yet proceeded to trial, and the Gastelum conviction may shape plea negotiations or trial strategy for co-defendants [1].