A night out between neighbors in Albuquerque, New Mexico, ended in a fatal confrontation in the early morning hours of November 25, 2015, the day before Thanksgiving. The life of Manuel Puentes, a 29-year-old Hispanic man also known as Uel, was cut short by a stab wound. The deadly altercation happened on the 400 block of Arizona Street SE, a residential street in the city's Trumbull Village neighborhood where Manuel lived.
According to witness statements provided to the Albuquerque Police Department, the tragic chain of events began after Manuel, his neighbor Alejandro Alvarado, and two other people returned from a bar. An argument ignited between Manuel and Alvarado, which quickly spiraled into a physical fight. During the struggle, Manuel was fatally stabbed. In the chaotic moments that followed, Alvarado, who was 39 years old at the time, fled the scene.
Albuquerque police officers responded to the scene and launched a homicide investigation.
Based on witness accounts, detectives quickly identified Alejandro Alvarado as the primary suspect. An arrest warrant was issued, charging him with murder and bribery or intimidation of a witness. Authorities broadcast a public alert, asking for assistance in finding him. Alvarado was described as a Hispanic male, 5-foot-8 and 180 pounds with a medium build. His last known attire was blue jeans, a maroon cowboy shirt, a navy blue baseball cap, and rust-colored cowboy boots. Police believed he had escaped in his mother’s gold Chevy Blazer, which had a New Mexico license plate of MNL163.
For several years, Alvarado remained a fugitive. The Albuquerque Police Department and Metro Crime Stoppers continued to seek information regarding his whereabouts, but he evaded capture. The case grew cold, leaving Manuel's family and friends without answers or the prospect of justice in a courtroom. The trail for the wanted man seemed to have disappeared, and no public leads were announced.
A significant development in the case emerged years later, though it was not the result of an arrest. In early 2022, court records in New Mexico were updated to show that the murder case against Alejandro Alvarado had been dismissed. The official reason cited for the dismissal was that Alvarado was deceased. Publicly available information and news reports have not provided specific details regarding the date, location, or manner of Alvarado's death.
The death of the sole suspect brought an unexpected and quiet end to the legal pursuit of justice for Manuel Puentes. While the case is now considered closed and marked as solved by authorities due to the death of the primary suspect, the circumstances surrounding the night Manuel died were never fully litigated in a public trial. Many questions about the argument and the final moments of Manuel's life remain unanswered. Anyone with information about the case can still contact Albuquerque Metro Crime Stoppers at 505-242-COPS.
