APD arrests 13-year-old for murder of man riding his bike to work in 2024
March 17, 2025
ALBUQUERQUE – APD detectives arrested a 13-year-old boy today who is charged with intentionally crashing a stolen car into a man who was riding his bicycle to work last year.
An 11-year-old boy and a 15-year-old are also accused of participating in the crime that resulted in the death of Scott Dwight Habermehl on May 29, 2024. Habermehl, 63, was riding his bike to work at Sandia National Laboratory around 4:40 a.m. when he was struck by the car.
The boys videotaped the crash from inside the car as the driver swerved from the southbound lane on Moon St. onto a dedicated bike lane and struck Habermehl. The kids in the car saw the flashing light on the bicycle and audio of the recording indicated they planned to hit the bicyclist.
Detectives arrested Johnathan Overbay today based on several charges, including an open count of murder, conspiracy to commit murder, leaving the scene of an accident involving great bodily harm or death and unlawful possession of a handgun by a person.
Homicide detectives also charged William Garcia, 15, with the same crimes.
A third boy, who is 11 years old, is too young to be charged with murder. APD detectives are working with the DA’s Office and CYFD to determine what charges he may face and whether he can be held on those charges.
APD’s Fatal Crash team investigated the deadly crash, but did not determine who was in the car that struck Habermehl. A Crime Stoppers bulletin publicized a video image of the car from a nearby church.
In February, APD received an anonymous tip that cell phone video of the crash had been posted on social media. The tip included the identity of the Instagram account and its user. The case was turned over to the Homicide Unit on Feb. 25.
As detectives worked to investigate the Instagram account, which had been flagged in a separate investigation, a middle school principal reported to Albuquerque Public Schools police that a student reported the same video of the crash.
Detectives secured warrants for social media accounts and a search of phones that were previously seized from the 11-year-old and Overbay during a separate investigation in June 2024. APD’s Digital Intelligence Team identified several video clips showing Garcia, Overbay and the 11-year-old, including the original video of the crash.
That video, which includes audio, captured conversation between the boys as the driver, believed to be Overbay, said he was about to hit the bicyclist and the vehicle appears to accelerate. The back passenger, believed to be Garcia, said not to hit the bicyclist going too fast. “Just bump him, brah.” The driver responded, “Like bump him?” The back passenger repeated, “Yeah, just bump him. Go like…15…20.”
As the vehicle approached the intersection of Moon St. and Atkinson Ave., the front passenger, believed to be the 11-year-old who was waving a handgun, ducked and laughed as the front, passenger side of the vehicle struck Habermehl. There were loud sounds, including metal flexing, as the momentum of the crash carried Habermehl and his bicycle on top, and off, the passenger side of the vehicle.
Overbay will be booked into the Juvenile Detention Center. Detectives are searching for Garcia and the 11-year-old.