APD Arrests Second Suspect in Connection to Death of Elias Otero

Mon. Jan. 24, 2022

ALBUQUERQUE – Albuquerque Police have arrested Anna Bella Dukes, 18, for her involvement in the Feb. 11, 2021 murder of Elias Otero.

Dukes has been charged with an open count of murder, kidnapping, 2 counts of armed robbery, tampering with evidence, and conspiracy.

Through investigation, homicide detectives determined that Dukes used social media to lure a man to meet with her in the early morning hours of Feb. 11, so that Adrian Avila, 17, and another suspect could rob him. The suspects dragged the victim from his red Lexus and demanded cash, jewelry and a gun from him. They entered the Lexus and another vehicle, holding the victim at gunpoint and drove to the victim’s residence. The carjacking suspects ordered the victim to call his brother and have him bring money and a gun outside, or they would shoot and kill the victim.

When they arrived at the victim’s home on Timothy Ct. S.W., the victim’s brother, later identified as Elias Otero, came out of the house and threatened to shoot the suspects. At some point, Avila fired a gun at Otero, killing him in the street.

The original carjacking victim jumped out of the vehicle as the suspects fled the scene. Two of the suspects fled on foot.

Detectives later linked the vehicle the suspects used in the carjacking and the homicide to a previous carjacking, which helped further the homicide investigation by identifying suspects, including Avila and Dukes.

Adrian Avila turned himself in to police in late December. Dukes is in the process of being booked in the Metropolitan Detention Center.