Las Cruces, N.M. (KFOX14/CBS4) — Three years after 17-year-old Benjamin Archuleta was shot and killed in Las Cruces just a day before his 18th birthday, his family is speaking publicly for the first time, describing the teenager they lost and renewing calls for accountability amid ongoing concerns about juvenile crime in the city.
Jennifer Archuleta Marquez, Archuleta’s sister, remembered him as “funny, outgoing, and he’d love to make people laugh.” His mother, Gloria Rios Archuleta, said, “He liked cars, he was just a joy.”
His sister, Candice Archuleta, said, “My brother was the type of guy to help everybody out.”
Archuleta was killed while driving in Las Cruces in March 2023. Gloria Rios Archuleta said the shooting followed an earlier confrontation. “He got into a fight at Chucky’s with the murderer, and then they followed him from Chucky’s, and the guy killed him on mile marker eight,” she said.
Jennifer Archuleta Marquez described the family’s grief and the milestones they say were taken from them. “I just remember just breaking down because it was not supposed to be like that. You know, I did not get the chance to be an aunt to his kids. I didn’t get to see him fall in love. We didn’t even get to see him graduate and that’s heartbreaking,” she said.
She also said the shooting was not random. “Before my brother was killed, this individual was always threatening him for two years,” she said.
The suspect in the case is Drake Armendariz, who was 16 at the time of the shooting. The trial has been prolonged, and Gloria Rios Archuleta said, “I was upset, but I knew it was coming.”
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With juvenile crime a top concern and the Young Park shooting claiming the lives of three teens, the family said they felt compelled to share Archuleta’s story now. “I was pissed off about the young Park, how quickly everything was done, and I’m still terrified to go anywhere,” Gloria Rios Archuleta said.
Family members said they want changes aimed at preventing more violence. Benjamin Rios Jr., Archuleta’s uncle, said, “We need more stronger legislation. We need more stronger laws to do something about the situation.” Gloria Rios Archuleta added, “I’m gonna be in the round house, not in the outhouse.”
They also said they are hoping new evidence could emerge in the case and are calling for accountability. “We gotta get a hold of these juveniles with guns,” Gloria Rios Archuleta said. Rios said, “These kids out there that are dying. It’s not worth it.”
Even in their grief, the family urged unity and prevention. “I think we have to come together as a community and you know prevent that from happening,” Jennifer Archuleta Marquez said. Gloria Rios Archuleta said, “It’s not going to help Benjamin, but I want to help somebody else, especially this community. I mean, I’m from this community since day one.”
Armendariz’s trial is set for five days in August of this year.
The district attorney’s office was contacted about the delay in the case, but District Attorney Fernando Macias declined to comment due to the ongoing trials in the Young Park shooting and the pending trial for Armendariz.
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