All Suspects Sentenced in Fatal Shooting over Drug Deal Gone Wrong
All suspects involved in a fatal shooting that occurred in April 2021 over a drug deal gone wrong have now been sentenced. A total of five individuals have been handed prison terms for their involvement in the incident.
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The shooting took place at Westgate Heights Park in southwest Albuquerque on April 20, 2021. As a result of the shooting, 18-year-old Ryan Saavedra Jr. was hospitalized but tragically succumbed to his injuries later at the hospital.
During the investigation, a witness who was with Saavedra informed the Albuquerque Police Department that Saavedra had been pepper sprayed and instructed the driver to leave the park. As they were driving away, multiple gunshots were fired at their vehicle.
Police were able to access social media messages exchanged between Saavedra and a person known as Arianna ‘Homiee’, later identified as 21-year-old Arianna Hawkins. According to court documents, the two had agreed to a drug deal involving the sale of 100 fentanyl pills for $420.
During her interview with the police, Hawkins revealed that she was accompanied by her boyfriend, Elijah Tafoya, 21, as well as two unidentified individuals, a male and a female. The female used Hawkins’ phone to find a drug dealer on social media.
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According to court documents, neither Hawkins nor Tafoya left the vehicle while they were at Westgate Heights Park. Following the shooting, they were dropped off at a nearby gas station.
Hawkins has been sentenced to six years in prison for an attempted armed robbery. The male suspect, Dominick Mullen, 23, was identified by the police and has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for second-degree murder. Tafoya, who admitted that everyone in the car wanted to obtain fentanyl, took a guilty plea agreement and is facing a maximum of four years in prison for two felony conspiracy charges.
Two other individuals, Christian Benson, 24, and Ajole Guzman, 21, were also involved in the fatal shooting. Benson has been sentenced to 12 years for trafficking controlled substances, while Guzman has been charged with second-degree murder and will serve 18 years for both charges.
The sentencing of all suspects involved in this tragic incident brings a sense of closure to the case. The court’s decision highlights the severe consequences of engaging in illegal drug deals and the devastating impact it can have on individuals and their families.
