A criminal investigation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has uncovered a mother’s chilling attempt to frame her own son for murder.
In January 2025, Elizabeth Ortiz-Chavez, 49, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder after shooting and killing her daughter’s teenage boyfriend, Josue Ruiz, in March 2022.
What makes this case even more disturbing is her calculated effort to pin the crime on her 16-year-old son, Angelo Baldonado.
According to PEOPLE, she tried to implicate her son because she believed he would receive a lighter sentence as a juvenile.
This true crime case, involving a mother’s betrayal, has left the local community reeling.
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| Elizabeth Ortiz-Chavez |
It all began on March 4, 2022, behind a restaurant called Lindy’s Diner in downtown Albuquerque.
According to the local police department, Baldonado and Ruiz, both 16 at the time, had arranged a fight in the diner’s back alley.
Witnesses claimed that as the fight was about to start, gunshots rang out, leaving Ruiz dead at the scene.
Initially, Baldonado was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, but an investigation of the crime scene soon revealed a darker truth.
According to police reports, several witnesses who were present came forward and pointed to Ortiz-Chavez as the actual shooter.
Baldonado later confessed to police that his mother was the one who set up the fight and shot the victim, believing his juvenile status would result in a lesser sentence.
This revelation led to Ortiz-Chavez’s arrest in May 2023.
Meanwhile, Baldonado pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and assault in August 2023.
He is currently serving his sentence at the Bernalillo County Youth Detention Center.
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| Angelo Baldonado at the police station after his arrest |
During her arraignment, the defense attorney Ashley Reymore-Cloud argued that much of the evidence against Ortiz-Chavez was based on hearsay from social media conversations.
However, prosecutors highlighted her alarming behavior, including her willingness to let her son take the blame.
“We have her own words, and her own children are sick about how she can allow her son to take the full blame and say nothing,” said prosecutor Jolanna Macias.
Judge Jennifer Wernersbach who was presiding over the case agreed with the prosecution.
“Ms. Ortiz-Chavez was at least involved in arranging a physical fight between children, went with her children to engage in this physical fight at the very least, which alone, I can’t quite understand as a mother.”
Adding to the gravity of the case, Ortiz-Chavez was also charged with possession of child pornography.
This was after explicit images of children were discovered on her phone during the homicide investigation, as reported by KQrE News.
She remains in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center, awaiting sentencing, where she faces up to 18 years in prison.
As the community grapples with this heartbreaking story, one thing is clear: the justice system must remain vigilant in protecting the innocent and holding the guilty accountable.
Got a tip about a crime? Please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS immediately.
You can also see how to report a crime anonymously online if you wish to remain anonymous.
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