Suspect accused of 'giggling' about fatally shooting man
May 20—A 19-year-old man was arrested Monday for a fatal shooting at a bus stop in Southeast Albuquerque over the weekend.
Joshua Dickens is charged with an open count of murder and tampering with evidence. He is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center. Dickens' attorney could not be reached.
Dickens was identified by a "concerned citizen" and through a smoke shop photo, according to a criminal complaint filed at Metropolitan Court.
At about 10:45 a.m. Saturday, the Albuquerque Police Department was dispatched to a call of a shooting in the area of the 6800 block of Central, near Indiana.
The complaint states that a woman told police she heard a "loud bang" then saw a man lying by a bus stop as another man — later identified as Dickens — fled west on foot.
According to APD, Smoke City surveillance showed Eric Purley, 46, exit the bus stop and walk toward Dickens. Dickens then pulled a handgun from his waistband and pointed it at a man — later identified as Purley — who then hit Dickens in the neck, it said.
Purley's friend told police she heard a gunshot and saw Dickens run westbound before she unsuccessfully tried to follow Dickens.
An autopsy revealed that Purley had been shot in the chest, according to APD.
According to the criminal complaint, an unidentified person told police they heard Dickens "laughing and giggling." After asking Dickens why he was laughing, the person told police "he confessed that he shot a homeless person."
Police said the person told officers that Dickens said he had burned his shirt and knew Purley had been taken to the hospital. When Dickens learned Purley died, the unidentified person told police that Dickens giggled, smiled and said, "I have control over somebody's life."
