On Friday, January 31, 2025, a murder suspect in Albuquerque faced an unexpected and violent confrontation during his plea hearing.

The suspect, Alexander Ortiz, who is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, Alianna Farfan, was attacked by two men believed to be the victim’s family members. The shocking incident occurred at the Bernalillo County Courthouse.

Ortiz, 21, was arrested in February 2024 for the fatal shooting of Farfan and was charged with first-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty to the charges in March 2024.

On the morning of January 31, Ortiz appeared in court for a resumed hearing when the attack took place.

According to courtroom video, a man, later identified as Farfan’s uncle, jumped over the boundary separating the public from the defendant. He quickly rushed towards Ortiz, with another man following closely behind.

A violent struggle broke out as Ortiz attempted to flee. In the footage, Ortiz, his father, a corrections officer, and the attackers were seen rolling on the floor in a chaotic fight.

The altercation ended when a corrections officer deployed a Taser to subdue the attackers. The men involved in the attack were identified as Carlos Lucero and Pete Ysasi.

Lucero, during his arrest, reportedly referred to Farfan as his niece and expressed that the fight was worth going to jail for. He allegedly said, “He killed my niece like a coward,” before being taken into custody.

The incident sent shockwaves through the courtroom, leading to immediate arrests and further disruptions in the legal proceedings.

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