New Mexicans are serious about their green chile, but it can be deadly. The police say a family argument over whose enchiladas were hotter ended with a Roswell man allegedly shot his cousin three to four times before he fled.
The bizarre feud allegedly began over dinner.
Last week, a 22-year-old man from Roswell traveled to Albuquerque for a professional training class, according to court records obtained by The Paper.
Then, on Thursday afternoon, he arrived unannounced at his cousins’ apartment, where the family gathered, drank alcohol, and made green chile enchiladas.
In the beginning, there was no sign of trouble until they argued over the chile. The Albuquerque Police detective’s account in court filings states that the suspect allegedly began antagonizing his cousin by insisting that the green chile in his enchiladas was hotter than the chile on his cousin’s plates.
‘There was no conflict between any of the parties until [the suspect] began antagonizing [the victim],’ the detective wrote.
It started as a dispute over spicy enchiladas, but it quickly escalated. In an attempt to defuse the heated situation, three cousins went outside, police said.
But the argument did not end there. The suspect and the victim, who were both armed, eventually became involved in a physical fight. As they fought, the victim’s gun fell to the ground, according to court documents.
A cousin who was not involved in the fight told police that he picked up the weapon.
The victim then appeared to turn away, apparently trying to cool off and ‘walk it off.’ But police say the suspect allegedly pulled out his own handgun and opened fire.
His cousin was shot ‘three or four times’ and later succumbed to his injuries.
The accused gunman then escaped in a vehicle. But Albuquerque police were able to track his trail using automated license plate reader technology, which helped investigators locate the vehicle, leading them to the suspect and his eventual arrest.
He was taken into custody for killing his cousin. Metropolitan Court Judge Ramon Maestas ordered him to be held without bond.
The case remains under investigation. The suspect’s name and that of the victim were not identified until their conviction.
