Albuquerque police on Thursday identified the officer who was shot during a traffic stop as a former Army paratrooper and nine-year veteran of the department.
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An anonymous caller told police that Mr. Torrez had acknowledged shooting the child after he said Garcia tried to run him off the road, according to the criminal complaint.
The accused gunman, Tony Torrez, 31, appeared in court Thursday in Albuquerque, N.M., facing charges that include first degree murder, shooting at or from a moving vehicle, and child abuse resulting in death, reports the Albuquerque Journal.
Todd Farkas, a public defender assigned to the case, declined to comment but said he planned to release a statement on Friday.
A candlelight vigil will take place for Lilly Saturday at Civic Plaza in Albuquerque at 6:30 p.m. More information on the vigil is available here.
In this video frame grab provided by the Albuquerque Metro Court, … Torrez hung his head through much of the hearing and only replied “no sir” when Schultz asked if he had any questions.
As Mr. Garcia started to drive away, the other vehicle followed close behind. He’s being held on a $650,000 cash-only bond.
(CNN)A man taken into custody in the road rage killing of a 4-year-old girl in New Mexico has confessed to the shooting, authorities said.
In a criminal complaint, police say suspect Tony Torrez cut off the father of Lilly Garcia on Interstate 40 on Tuesday.
Alan Garcia then threw up his hands and called the suspect a name. Torrez allegedly said something back and fired two shots.
A domestic violence case from 2010 says Torrez “put the gun in [his girlfriend’s] mouth and stated he was going to kill her” in front of their six-year-old son.
The father then pulled the pickup over to the side of the highway and desperately tried to save his daughter’s life, as passersby called 911. He said Torrez and his friends knew where he lived, and he feared retaliation.
Jonell Tafoya, who witnessed the confrontation, told the Associated Press that the girl’s father should not have been driving so dangerously.
In the last 10 years, Torrez has been charged with drug possession, assault, child abuse, kidnapping and receiving stolen property.
He was also charged with weapons violations.
The grandfather of a 4-year-old girl killed in a road rage shooting in New Mexico says something has to be done about gun violence. “This should never have happened”. Our thoughts are with the Garcia family as they cope with the loss of their sweet child.
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Torrez has admitted he opened fire on Lilly, her 7-year-old brother and their father as he drove them home from school on Interstate 40 on Tuesday afternoon, Albuquerque Police Chief Gordon Eden said at a news conference.
