A New Mexico man has been arrested on murder charges following the alleged shooting of his cousin during an argument over green enchiladas. Ervin Joaquin Gutierrez, 22, is accused of killing Nathaniel Cavazos, 25, at an Albuquerque apartment complex on Thursday evening, according to police reports.
Gutierrez had visited Cavazos and another cousin that afternoon, where they purchased groceries to prepare green enchiladas and consumed alcohol. An affidavit states that Gutierrez argued that the chile on his enchiladas was spicier than that on Cavazos's plate and challenged him to try some. Cavazos responded by asserting that they were eating the same enchiladas, which would mean there was no difference in spice level.
As tensions rose, a third cousin suggested taking a dog for a walk to diffuse the situation. However, outside, Cavazos and Gutierrez engaged in a fistfight, during which Cavazos reportedly struck Gutierrez hard enough to leave him bleeding. After walking away from the fight, Gutierrez allegedly drew a handgun and stated, "We’re family! We’re family! How could you do this to me?" before firing three or four shots at Cavazos, hitting him in the back, according to the witness.
Police arrived around 11 p.m. and found Cavazos deceased on a walkway between apartment buildings. A handgun belonging to Cavazos was located approximately ten yards from his body. The witness provided investigators with a Snapchat message from Gutierrez, who had fled the scene, in which he claimed that Cavazos had threatened him. Gutierrez allegedly wrote, "Is he really dead? I did not want to kill him, but I didn’t want him to kill me." He was arrested late Friday and booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center on an open count of murder, according to jail records.