Photo Credit: Bernalillo County Detention Center
DEMING – New details are emerging in a deadly road rage shooting in Albuquerque that claimed the life of a 19-year-old man, as investigators revealed the suspect previously faced a murder charge as a teenager.
According to a report on KOB-TV, Albuquerque police said Thursday that 31-year-old Cecilio Lopez is accused of shooting 19-year-old Roman Valenciano during a road rage encounter. Authorities said Valenciano had just finished work and was driving to pick up his mother when the shooting occurred. He died at the scene.
Investigators reviewing surveillance video reported that Lopez allegedly fired from his Mustang after brake-checking another vehicle and accelerating aggressively. Officers later obtained a description of the car and observed a vehicle matching that description returning to the scene three separate times.
Police said Lopez was on probation for a previous felony conviction and has a lengthy criminal history dating back to his teenage years. Records show that in 2012, when Lopez was 17 years old, he was charged in the death of another 17-year-old, though those charges were ultimately dismissed. Lopez now faces an open count of murder and additional charges. All persons mentioned in this report are to be considered innocent until possibly proven guilty by a court of law.