Albuquerque man arrested in late-December homicide

Matthew Reisen, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·2 min read

May 1—Deputies have arrested a suspect in a fatal late-December shooting in Southwest Albuquerque.

Raymond Davila, 52, is charged with an open count of murder and tampering with evidence in the death of Eddie Diaz, 44.

Davila was arrested Tuesday by Albuquerque police after being found trespassing in Old Town and giving officers a fake name. He is behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center.

In an online obituary, relatives wrote that Diaz "lived by the gun and died by the gun." They wrote that he left behind many family members and pets, including Rosie, "his cherished goat."

"He lived a vibrant life and unfortunately, his life was cut short due to a tragic incident," the obituary read. "... He kept everyone on our toes, he made us laugh, made us mad, and made us happy when we were sad."

Bernalillo County deputies responded around 7:30 a.m. Dec. 31 to reports of a shooting and crash near Powers Way and Moore SW. A neighbor told them they heard gunshots and saw a Jeep crash into their fence before driving off.

The neighbor told deputies they saw a man "walking with a limp" near a home where they believed the gunshots came from, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court. They said the man got into a gold Tacoma truck and drove off.

Deputies said soon after, another person called 911 to report that a man in a Jeep showed up with multiple gunshot wounds to a home a few blocks away. Deputies found Diaz fatally shot, and he died at the scene.

A man at the home told deputies that days earlier, Diaz complained that a man named "Diablo" had stolen a gun from him, according to the complaint. Deputies identified "Diablo" as Davila and learned he drove a gold Tacoma, walked with a limp and lived at the home near where the gunfire was heard.

Deputies said that on Jan. 6, Albuquerque police responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle and found Davila's Tacoma. The truck had been painted black, but "not professionally," and the license plate had been removed.

A search of Davila's phone records showed he was at the scene at the time Diaz was shot and "left the area two minutes after the initial 911 call was made," according to the complaint.