Police say James Candelaria hid a gun after Destiny Benavidez was shot.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A 33-year-old Albuquerque man has been charged with murder after his girlfriend died from injuries police say she suffered in a weekend shooting at a southeast Albuquerque home.
James Candelaria is accused of shooting Destiny Benavidez early Saturday, June 20, at a residence on Edith Boulevard SE. Police said Benavidez died Wednesday, turning the case from a shooting investigation into a homicide case. Candelaria also faces allegations tied to hiding the gun after the shooting.
Officers were called to the home in the 2100 block of Edith Boulevard SE after Benavidez was shot. Investigators later accused Candelaria of taking the gun to a relative’s home before police found him. Candelaria told officers he had been drinking, blacked out and did not remember what happened, police said.
The case centers on what happened inside the home before Benavidez was wounded. Police have not publicly released a full timeline of the moments before the shooting, and it was not immediately clear whether anyone else was inside the home. Authorities have not said whether Candelaria has entered a plea or retained an attorney.
Candelaria is being held as the case moves through the Bernalillo County court system. Prosecutors will weigh the police investigation, witness statements, physical evidence and medical findings as they decide how to proceed. The murder charge follows Benavidez’s death at the hospital several days after the shooting.
The shooting adds to Albuquerque’s 2026 homicide investigations, which police track as non-negligent murders. City homicide figures are updated as investigations change, including when wounded victims later die or when cases are ruled justified. Police listed the case as an active investigation after Benavidez’s death.
The next step is expected in court, where prosecutors may outline the charges and any request to keep Candelaria in custody while the case is pending. Police have not announced additional arrests.
Author note: Last updated June 28, 2026.