APD arrests suspect accused of killing man at Coronado Park

Aug. 15, 2022

ALBUQUERQUE – APD officers arrested Joseph T. Garcia and charged him of killing a Andrew Aguilar in June at Coronado Park.

Garcia, 28, is accused of fatally shooting Andrew Aguilar, 33, on June 21, 2022. Video surveillance showed a man, later identified as Garcia, walking south through Coronado Park at 8:42 p.m. He stopped a few feet short of Aguilar, who was sitting under a tree. Garcia removed a handgun from his right hip and shot at Andrew. It appeared he missed, and Garcia shot a second time, striking Aguilar. Garcia walked back to his bicycle and fled the park.

Detectives learned through investigation that Garcia sold drugs out of the Court John Motel, north of Coronado Park, and took drugs to homeless individuals at the park. Detectives were told Garcia was part of a group of subjects that controlled the park and sectioned off the land for people to live in the park.

Shortly after the shooting, on June 28, 2022, narcotics detectives arrested major suppliers of drugs at Coronado Park and the Ambassador Inn. Three people were arrested and detectives recovered 1 shotgun, 3 handguns, 4,500 Fentanyl pills, 3,008 grams of heroin, 29 grams of cocaine, several rocks of crack cocaine and nearly $10,000 in cash.

Garcia is charged with an open count of murder and tampering with evidence.

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