APD arrests man for Friday's double homicide

Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022

ALBUQUERQUE – APD detectives identified the suspect from Friday’s double homicide, and SWAT officers arrested him this afternoon in a Barelas home that was the site of a separate double homicide in May.

John Paul Ballejos, 30, was arrested today and charged in the shooting deaths of Daniel Humphrey, 31, and Humphrey’s aunt, Sonia Tenorio, 46.

APD officers responded to a ShotSpotter activation Friday shortly after 9 p.m. at an apartment complex located at 565 59^th St., N.W. Officers arrived on scene and discovered Humphrey outside an apartment with several gunshot wounds. Officers entered the apartment and found Tenorio with several gunshot wounds. Both Humphrey and Tenorio died as a result of their wounds.

During an investigation that lasted through the night and into Saturday, homicide detectives learned that Ballejos had been living in apartment directly above the apartment where Humphrey lived with his aunt and sister. On July 11, 2022, Ballejos allegedly shot a bullet through the floor and into the downstairs apartment. The shooting was reported to police and the apartment management, which initiative a court proceeding to evict Ballejos.

Humphrey’s sister, Cynthia Humphrey, also reported to the apartment’s management that Ballejos was texting and harassing her.

Detectives obtained video surveillance that showed the hooded assailant approach the apartment where the Humphreys were living shortly after 9 p.m. He walked away after nobody answered the door. Shortly after, Daniel Humphrey is seeing on the video walking toward the apartment. The assailant approaches from behind, Humphrey shuts the door to the apartment from the outside and turns to face the man. The man pulled out a dark colored handgun and shot Humphrey twice in the head.

Detectives determined the assailant went inside the apartment and shot Tenorio in the face and head. Detectives also discovered a bullet hole on the lock to the door of the bedroom that belonged to Cynthia Humphrey. The door had been kicked until the frame split, allowing the assailant access to the bedroom. However, Cynthia Humphrey was not home at the time of the shooting.

Witnesses identified the assailant shown in the surveillance video as John Paul Ballejos.

SWAT officers searched for Ballejos at the apartment on 59^th St. but nobody was there. Detectives later located Ballejos at a home located at 910 8^th St., S.W. That home is the same residence where two people were murdered on May 31, 2022. One of the victims in that case, Hesiquio Cordova, 44, appears to have been related to Ballejos.

SWAT officers responded to the home on 8^th St. and eventually convinced Ballejos to surrender. He was arrested and taken to a local hospital to be treated for wounds he suffered during a fall prior to exiting the home.

Ballejos will be booked in to the Metro Detention Center on two counts of murder and two counts of tampering with evidence.

Detectives are investigating whether Ballejos may be connected to the May murders on 8^th St.

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