APD homicide detectives arrest convicted felon for overnight murder

Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022

ALBUQUERQUE – APD homicide detectives arrested Sylvan Alcachupas, a convicted felon, and charged him for Tuesday night’s robbery-turned-murder at Giovanni’s Pizzaria in Southeast Albuquerque.

Alcachupas, 27, is accused of shooting and killing the owner of the restaurant, Rosario Zito.

According to witnesses, the business, located at 921 San Pedro Dr., S.E., had just closed around 9:20 p.m. and employees gathered outside. A man in dark clothing was loitering nearby and eventually approached the employees and demanded that they empty their pockets. The man, later identified as Alcachupas, produced a small black handgun and fired a single shot into the air as he said, “I’m fucking serious. Empty your shit on the ground.”

The employees said they threw money from their tips to the ground. Alcachupas grabbed the money from the ground and began walking around the car while challenging Zito by saying, “You wanna play?” Zito produced a handgun and pointed it at Alcachupas. After an exchange of gunfire, witnessed saw Zito on the ground and the suspect was going through his pockets.

APD’s Shot Spotter system detected one gunshot at 9:21 p.m., followed by three more gunshots. Officers in the area also heard the gunshots. An employee of the business also called 911 and provided a description of the suspect.

Officers spotted a man matching the suspect’s description a few blocks away in the area of California and Anderson, and they detained him. They also saw the man hand an object to an unknown female, who fled in a different direction.

Homicide detectives interviewed the suspect, who denied being involved in the robbery and murder.

Alcachupas is being booked into the Metro Detention Center on an open count of murder, robbery with a deadly weapon, and tampering with evidence.

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