13-12 months-Outdated Charged with Homicide in ‘Deliberate’ Hit-and-Run

• Bicyclist Scott Dwight Habermehl was killed in a hit-and-run on Could 29, 2024, in Albuquerque, N.M.
• In February, authorities obtained an nameless tip that video of the deadly crash was circulating on social media
• On March 17, the Albuquerque Police Division arrested a 13-year-old boy for the alleged homicide, the 11-year-old boy is now within the Kids, Youth and Households Division’s custody, and the seek for the 15-year-old boy remains to be underway

A 13-year-old was arrested and charged with homicide in connection to an alleged deliberate hit-and-run of a bicyclist in Albuquerque, N.M., based on a Monday, March 17 Albuquerque Police Division (APD) press launch.

The teenager was arrested on Monday, March 17, on a number of costs related to Scott Dwight Habermehl’s dying on Could 29, 2024. Habermehl, a 63-year-old physicist, was killed whereas he was biking to his job at Sandia Nationwide Laboratories.

The 13-year-old was charged with an open depend of homicide, conspiracy to commit homicide, leaving the scene of an accident involving nice bodily hurt or dying and illegal possession of a handgun by an individual.

The APD confirmed in a Tuesday, March 18 press launch that the 11-year-old boy who was allegedly concerned was taken into the custody of the Kids, Youth and Households Division custody, and might be administered an analysis.

Authorities are nonetheless looking for the 15-year-old boy who was allegedly concerned within the hit-and-run. The three had been allegedly inside a stolen automobile final yr, recorded the accident and the video circulated on social media.

The 13-year-old is believed to be the driving force, whereas the opposite two had been passengers. 

The 15-year-old might be charged with the identical crimes because the 13-year-old. The third boy is simply too younger to be charged with homicide. Nonetheless, APD detectives, the District Legal professional and the Kids, Youth and Households Division (CYFD) are working collectively “to find out what costs he might face and whether or not he will be held on these costs,” per the press launch.

The 13-year-old might be booked into the Juvenile Detention Middle. Kids 11 and youthful can’t be held at a juvenile detention heart. New Mexico courts can attempt youngsters ages 15 to 18, and typically 14, as adults for first-degree homicide after a grand jury indictment.

In February, the APD obtained an “nameless tip that cellphone video of the crash had been posted on social media,” per the press launch. The tip included the identification of the Instagram account and its consumer.” The account was beforehand flagged in a special investigation.

The APD Deadly Crash staff turned the case over to the Murder Unit on Tuesday, Feb. 25.

As detectives investigated the Instagram account, a center faculty principal reported to Albuquerque Public Faculties police {that a} scholar reported the identical video of the crash.

Detectives secured warrants for the 11- and 13-year-old’s social media accounts and searched their telephones. Their telephones had been beforehand seized throughout a separate investigation in June 2024. 

“APD’s Digital Intelligence Crew recognized a number of video clips displaying the three boys, together with the unique video of the crash,” per the APD press launch. 

That video captured the boys’ dialog because the 13-year-old driver stated he was going to hit the bicyclist as he made the automobile speed up. 

“The again passenger, believed to be [the 15-year-old], stated to not hit the bicyclist going too quick. ‘Simply bump him, brah.’ The driving force responded, ‘Like bump him?’ [The 15-year-old] repeated, ‘Yeah, simply bump him. Go like…15…20,’ ” per the APD press launch.

Because the automobile’s entrance passenger facet struck Habermehl, the 11-year-old, who was believed to be the entrance passenger, was allegedly waving a handgun within the automobile, ducked and laughed, per the discharge. The crash’s momentum then allegedly carried Habermehl and his bicycle on prime and off the automobile’s passenger facet.

“I’m horrified by the video footage of a brazen, heartless killing involving three New Mexico juveniles—ages 11, 13, and 15—who focused an harmless bike owner,” New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham stated in a assertion Tuesday. “This case is an appalling and heartbreaking reminder of the intense juvenile crime disaster we face in New Mexico––and our lack of instruments to correctly handle it.”

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PEOPLE reached out to the Bernalillo County District Legal professional for remark.