Southwest
New Mexico man shoots stepmom as she tried to give him hug during graduation ceremony: police
A New Mexico man shot his stepmother Wednesday as she was attempting to give him a hug during a high school graduation ceremony, authorities said.
The Albuquerque Police Department (APD) said it received a call around 5 p.m. about shots fired at the Albuquerque Convention Center.
Authorities said the woman was attending the Southwest Secondary Learning Center graduation for her son. Her stepson, Christian Bencomo, 21, arrived and “as she started to hug him, he produced a handgun and shot her in the neck,” police said.
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“As you can imagine, there was a lot of chaos at the time,” APD Communications Director Gilbert Gallegos told the media at the scene.
He said there were over 100 people at the charter school graduation ceremony at the time. The woman was rushed to a hospital and is expected to survive. Bencomo was held by bystanders until the police arrived, the APD said.
Christian Bencomo, 21, allegedly shot his stepmother during a high school graduation ceremony in New México. (Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center)
Jennifer Renfro, who was at the ceremony, told FOX Television Stations that the graduates had just received their diplomas, along with a rose to give to their “important person.” She said she gave her son a hug, and then “heard a really loud pop.”
“A lot of people thought it was a firecracker or a balloon. We all crouched down,” she told the news outlet, adding that her daughter hid on the ground.
Bencomo is charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon, aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony, aggravated battery with intent to cause great bodily harm to a family member and preventative detention, according to jail records at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center.
He is being held with no bail.
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Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
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