Sentencing set for defendant in fatal downtown Gallup shooting

District court records show a sentencing hearing was set January 16 for Andrew Martinez in a felony homicide case tied to a late-night shooting in downtown Gallup. The case, listed under docket number D-1113-CR-2022-00130, is before Judge Bradley L. Keeler in Courtroom 2 of the Eleventh Judicial District Court.

The killing occurred the night of November 16, 2024, in the 200 block of West Coal Avenue. A sworn affidavit filed in McKinley County Magistrate Court states Gallup Police were dispatched at about 10:22 p.m. after reports of multiple gunshots. Officers found a male victim with a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to Gallup Indian Medical Center and later identified by fingerprint analysis as Derrock Orosco.

Investigators described a scene bordered by apartment buildings, parked cars and nearby businesses. Detectives recovered six spent shell casings and one live round from the roadway, including 9mm Blazer Luger and 9mm Winchester Luger ammunition, and noted a recovered bullet projectile. A white towel containing a red substance believed to be blood was photographed and logged. The firearm allegedly used in the shooting was not recovered.

Surveillance video collected from businesses on West Coal Avenue is described in the affidavit as showing a white Nissan passenger car stopped near the scene as three individuals approached. The footage reportedly shows one person removing a handgun and manipulating the slide, followed by a confrontation and a physical altercation during which multiple shots were fired. Detectives said clouds of smoke were visible around the handgun in the video.

After the shooting the vehicle drove east on Coal Avenue. New Mexico State Police and the Crownpoint Navajo Nation Police Department located the Nissan later that night in Vanderwagen. Two people were detained; officers arrested one person on suspicion of driving under the influence and took another into custody for public intoxication. Clothing and other items were collected as evidence. Detectives also reviewed surveillance from a Love’s Travel Stop in Vanderwagen and conducted multiple witness interviews, with one witness reporting hearing about seven gunshots.

The district court docket indicates the case moved to sentencing but does not list the sentence being sought or expected, nor whether victim impact statements were filed for the hearing. Under New Mexico law, sentencing hearings typically include arguments from prosecutors and defense counsel and consideration of statutory ranges and any aggravating or mitigating factors.

For Gallup residents, the case underscores ongoing concerns about late-night violence in downtown areas where people live and work close to busy streets. The lack of a recovered firearm and the reliance on surveillance and witness accounts highlight investigative challenges that affect prosecutorial decisions. Watch the Eleventh Judicial District Court docket for official filings and any notices of appeal or post-sentencing activity as the legal process moves forward.