Mom who drove teen kids to allegedly kill man is sentenced
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Background: News footage displaying the location of Santiago Roybal’s murder in 2023, Albuquerque, N.M. (KOAT). Inset: Raeanna Ruiz (Albuquerque Police Department).

A mother from New Mexico has admitted to a second-degree murder charge after she drove her two teenage children to an apartment where they allegedly shot a man they suspected of stalking them.

Raeanna Ruiz, aged 35, received a 20-year prison sentence on Thursday, following her guilty plea to charges of second-degree murder, conspiracy, and aggravated battery connected to the October 2023 killing of 19-year-old Santiago Roybal. According to an Albuquerque Police Department press release at the time, Ruiz drove a white SUV captured on surveillance cameras entering the parking lot of an apartment complex in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Also in the car were Ruiz’s 15-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter, who allegedly chased Roybal down and shot him dead.

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According to a criminal complaint obtained by Law&Crime, surveillance video captured the image of Roybal running away from the white SUV, later determined to be driven by Ruiz. A female figure — Ruiz’s 16-year-old daughter,  Dylana Barela — was seen carrying a firearm while her 15-year-old brother — Christopher Barela — was seen carrying a baseball bat.

Roybal’s friend, who was a tenant at the apartment complex, let the fleeing Roybal inside. The friend was shot as he closed the door, and the shots continued after the door closed. Police said that surveillance video picked up a female voice yelling “Shoot through the door” as the gunfire rang out.

Roybal was fatally struck by one of those shots, police said. He was declared dead at the scene.

After the shooting ended, a male and a female were seen running away from the apartment.

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