In a shocking case out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Elizabeth Ortiz-Chavez, 49, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after killing her daughter’s boyfriend, Josue Ruiz, and then attempting to pin the crime on her teenage son, believing he would face a lesser prison sentence due to his age.
The tragic events took place on March 4, 2022, when Ortiz-Chavez shot and killed 16-year-old Ruiz outside a downtown restaurant.
The incident began when her son, Angelo Baldonado, confronted Ruiz in the back alley of the diner. Baldonado, 16 at the time, was reportedly about to fight Ruiz, who was dating his sister. Moments later, shots rang out, and Ruiz was found dead at the scene.
Initially, Baldonado was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
However, after further investigation, it was revealed that Ortiz-Chavez had actually been the one who shot Ruiz, not her son.

Witnesses and Baldonado himself later came forward, with the teenager confessing that his mother had tried to frame him, believing that being a juvenile would result in a lesser sentence.
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Baldonado changed his plea in August 2023, admitting to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and felony assault. He is now serving time at a youth detention center until he turns 21.
Ortiz-Chavez is currently in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque, where she has been held without bond since May 2023.
She faces up to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty, although her sentencing date has not yet been set. Her actions have devastated both the victim’s family and her own, as well as leaving the community reeling.
This case serves as a painful reminder of the complex and sometimes tragic nature of family dynamics, as well as the far-reaching consequences of misguided decisions.