ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico — Another adolescent was arrested Wednesday on murder and other charges in connection with a premeditated hit-and-run targeting a bicyclist, according to Albuquerque police.
Detectives discovered that the youngster was the fourth suspect in the stolen car that struck and killed 63-year-old physicist Scott Dwight Habermehl while he was riding to work at Sandia National Laboratories.
The teen detained on Wednesday was 15 years old when the crash occurred in May 2024. Others included an 11-year-old boy and two other teenagers.
A video of the crash was taken from inside the automobile and shared on social media. It was reported to police earlier this year by several people, including a middle school principal, after a pupil noticed it.
Several witnesses told officers during the inquiry that they recognized the sound of the fourth suspect’s voice in the video that was shared on social media. During an earlier interview with police, the adolescent denied being in the automobile, but detectives discovered that he had shared facts about the incident and the police investigation with pals via social media.
The Associated Press does not normally name people under the age of 18 who are accused of a crime.
The case was emphasized by Democratic New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, as well as Republican lawmakers and prosecutors, as they urged the Democratic-led Legislature to address youth criminality throughout the state. Despite promising to do so, the governor has yet to summon a special session to reconvene lawmakers and discuss new legislation.
