Pueblo Suspect Surrenders, Faces First-Degree Murder Charge After Double Shooting

Leandro Medina, 20, was booked into the Pueblo County Jail after voluntarily surrendering to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office on March 1 and faces an arrest warrant charging him with first-degree murder and first-degree assault in a Feb. 26 early-morning shooting that left 20-year-old Evie Gallegos dead. Police say another person inside the home was shot and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Pueblo police told the public they were called about a shooting at approximately 3:26 a.m. to the 2800 block of East 14th Street. The Pueblo Police Department posted on social media: "Upon arrival, they discovered a deceased individual inside the residence and spoke with an injured person who had been shot at least once," and added the injured individual "was transported to the hospital and is expected to survive with non-life-threatening injuries."

An arrest affidavit reviewed by local reporters alleges Medina shot Gallegos, identified in reports as the mother of his two children. The affidavit paraphrases a witness who said Gallegos was "swearing at Medina and insulting him, which angered Medina." The witness told investigators Medina "pointed a black rifle with a gold magazine and muzzle attachment at Gallegos several times and eventually fired at her," then the witness "started running away toward his room and heard Medina fire three more times."

The affidavit and police reports say both Gallegos and the witness "sustained gunshot wounds to the right thigh." Chieftain reporting of the affidavit states Gallegos "suffered massive blood loss from the injury and was declared dead on the scene." Police also found "a photo of Medina with the rifle" on the cell phone of the homeowner, according to the affidavit summary.

Authorities had warned the public to consider Medina "armed and dangerous" after identifying him as the suspect. Multiple outlets report Medina surrendered "without any issues" at about 9 p.m. on March 1 and was listed in the Pueblo County Jail roster on a first-degree murder charge. As of March 2 he was being held without bond.

Police and local reporting note Gallegos’ death is the second homicide in Pueblo this year. Records cited by reporters show there had been no homicides in Pueblo at this point in 2025; an earlier Feb. 7 case at the Days Inn, 4201 N. Elizabeth St., resulted in the arrest of James McKenney, 63.

The father of Evie Gallegos told a local station he had "no more tears left to cry." Medina is scheduled to make his official first appearance March 4 before Judge Allison Ernst, where the court will address the charges and next steps in the case.