Body camera video shows moments following deadly UNM shooting
Three people are now charged in connection to the shooting.
Law enforcement has now released body camera video related to a deadly shooting from July inside a dorm room on the campus of the University of New Mexico.
After conducting interviews, looking through crime scene evidence, reports, phone records and surveillance footage, agents with New Mexico State Police arrested three people in connection to the shooting that killed 14-year-old Michael Lamotte.
Just after 10 p.m. on July 24, Lamotte, his half-brother, 20-year-old Zion Miera and 19-year-old John Fuentes went to the UNM dorm room of 19-year-old Daniel Archuleta. Miera drove he and Lamotte from their Rio Rancho home. Surveillance video showed Miera carrying a grey Coach backpack while entering the room. Archuleta was also seen with a black and white lululemon tote bag.
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines from KOAT Action 7 News
Investigators said the group was playing video games while doing drugs and handling loaded firearms. Police believe Fuentes, Miera and Archuleta drank alcohol, used nicotine and cocaine. Archuela and Fuentes also consumed LSD. All four also used marijuana.
While doing all of this, officers discovered the men were passing around and playing with two stolen guns, which were both loaded.
In body camera video, Miera told officers that he and Archuleta were playing video games while Lamotte and Fuentes talked on the other side of the room. At one point, around 12:05 a.m., Miera said he heard a gunshot and then Fuentes fired off a second round.
According to police, the first gunshot hit Lamotte in the head, killing him. The second bullet grazed Archuleta in the head.
911 calls from UNM deadly shooting released
After the shooting, Miera told police he and Archuleta hid under and bed and then ran off. Investigators discovered that the suspected shooter, John Fuentes, ran away from the dorm room around 12:06 a.m. after the shooting and he was spotted on surveillance cameras running from the east side of the Gila dorms, across Redondo Court and south onto Johnson Field. Fuentes did not have on any shoes or shirt, but he was seen carrying a pistol.
Officers found Fuentes’ pants, a key chain and a stolen firearm with an extended magazine on the roof of Mesa Vista Hall near a blood trail and shattered windows.
According to detectives, Fuentes cleaned himself in a fountain at Zimmerman Library and left campus only wearing boxers and socks after his uncle and a woman picked him up.
Fuentes was eventually arrested in Los Lunas.
A criminal complaint shows, once Fuentes left the area, Miera and Archuleta left the dorm room through a window, with nothing in their hands or on their backs. Security cameras captured them running around between 12:09 a.m. and 12:17 a.m.. At one point, the two men are seen walking back and forth. Detectives believe the duo was debating what to do next.
Investigators said Miera and Archuleta returned to the dorm room because cameras captured them walking away. Miera had on his backpack and Archuleta was seen carrying a bag as well.
According to court records, the two then drove off in Miera’s car by 12:19 a.m..
In body camera video, officers talk to Miera, who asks where his brother is. According to Miera, he was not sure if Lamotte stayed in the dorm room after the shooting or if he was injured. In an interview with NMSP agents, Miera denied seeing his half-brother dead or injured. But in an interview with Lamotte’s sister, she told officers that during calls with Miera, he told her that Lamotte had been shot in the head. The calls happened a few hours after the shooting, between 3:30 and 5 a.m., hours before Lamotee’s death was made public and before agents notified his family.
Phone records also show that Miera called his mother an hour after the shooting at 1:05 a.m. and then called Lamotte’s mother at 1:28 a.m.. Lamotee’s mother then called 911 at 1:32 a.m.. She eventually drives from her home in Rio Rancho to UNM, trying to figure out where her son is.
Detectives have not learned what Miera and Archuleta did after leaving UNM, but they do know they ended up at Miera’s mother’s house in northeast Albuquerque. She drove both men to the hospital.
Around 3:15 a.m. UNM officers entered Archuleta’s dorm room and found Lamotte dead, slumped over in a chair. Ammunition, alcohol, marijuana and some cocaine and LSD was also found in the room. According to agents, the firearms and larger quantities of cocaine were missing. The Lulu Lemon tote bag and a grey Coach backpack that Miera and Archuleta were seen carrying into the dorm were also not in the room.
Law enforcement did seize Miera’s car as evidence. After executing a search warrant, both the Lulu Lemon tote bag and a gray Coach backpack were found, but they were empty.
A search warrant was also executed on phones belonging to Miera and Archuleta. Agents found evidence that they claim Miera deleted after Lamotee’s death.
While reviewing Miera’s phone, agents found deleted text messages between him and Archuleta. It included messages from Archuleta telling him not to talk to police. Miera responded that he only told officers certain things.
Law enforcement also discovered other deleted text messages on Miera’s phone and a phone belonging to Lamotte. The 14-year-old’s phone had text messages indicating that Lamotte arranged sales of marijuana and nicotine vapes to his classmates and associates of Miera since at least November 2024. Agents learned the brothers would also sell on social media. According to investigators, Lamotte would arrange the sale and Miera would make the delivery. The two would then split the profits.
A deleted text that investigators also found indicated that roughly 12 hours before Lamotte’s death, Miera traded a firearm for 40 to 50 grams of cocaine. Miera allegedly texted Lamotte that they could sell the cocaine together for a lot of profit.
Other deleted messages showed the brothers talking about selling firearms for cash in order to buy drugs. Agents also found videos between Miera and Archuleta in a dorm, manipulating two firearms. Photos also showed Miera with a firearm in one hand and a large amount of cash in his other hand.
While in the hospital, Archuleta was approached by officers wanting to talk to him. Records show he immediately pleaded the Fifth Amendment and insisted on his parents being present. Archuleta also told officers he thought he was the only one injured. Officers tried to talk to Archuleta two more times. He declined the first time and then the second time, his parents told law enforcement that their lawyer would need to be present before Archuleta participates in any interview.
During an interview with Lamotte’s family, agents learned the 14-year-old and his half-brother smoked marijuana, went to parties together and that Miera kept two guns in Lamotte’s home. One was hidden and the second is in his backpack. which he would take with him when dealing drugs.
Text messages between the brothers also taught agents that Miera built firearms and at least one was fully automatic. According to investigators, Miera would sell or trade firearms, which they believed is one of the ties between him, Archuleta and Fuentes.
Agents also discovered videos and photos on Lamotte’s phone from July, where he was in a UNM dorm room with the same men he was with the night he died. A criminal complaint says the videos and photos show the teen smoking marijuana and playing with at least six different guns. Agents say Archuleta was in multiple photos as well.
Search warrants executed by law enforcement on cell phone accounts belonging to Miera and Archuleta showed neither called police or 911 in the hours following Lamotte’s death.
Fuentes was booked into MDC on July 26. He’s facing several charges, including murder, tampering with evidence and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Records show he will remain behind bars until his trial.
Officers booked Miera into jail on Oct. 2. His charges include tampering with evidence, possession of a controlled substance and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He appeared before a judge this week and is being held on a no-bond hold as his case transfers to district court.
Archulea has been booked at MDC since Oct. 6. He appeared before a judge on Friday Oct. 10, and learned that he will stay in jail as his case also transfers to district court.
Mother responds after bodycam footage shows Orlando officer threatening to shoot man
Incident happened on July 4 around 6:40 p.m.
Jarell Baker, Community Correspondent
Published: July 10, 2025 at 11:24 PMUpdated: July 13, 2025 at 1:23 PMTags: Orlando, Orange County, Crime, Shooting
Bodycam footage shows encounter between Orlando officer and 22-year-old
13.6KPlay Video
Bodycam footage shows encounter between Orlando officer and 22-year-old
NOW PLAYING
Orlando police respond en masse after shooting injures 2 officers, video shows
VIDEO: Firefighters respond to burning home in Orlando
Man suffers life-threatening injuries in Orlando shooting
Man wanted for attempted murder shot, killed by Orlando police
Grand jury clears Orlando police officer who shot, killed man in downtown
Second Orlando officer leaves hospital after being shot
2 killed, 3 injured in Orlando shooting, police say
Second Orlando officer leaves hospital after being shot – 2023-08-19
Woman shot, killed while walking on Orlando sidewalk
Body camera footage shows Orlando officer fatally shoot 26-year-old
1 person killed in 7-Eleven shooting in Orlando
Man killed in Orlando road rage shooting on Colonial Drive
Rival gangs blamed for July mass shooting in downtown Orlando
Family of man shot by police calls for justice
Woman shot, man arrested in Orlando
1 found dead after reported shooting at strip mall near Pine Hills, police say
2 officers shot, in critical condition following Orlando traffic stop
Orlando police swarm area after 2 officers shot, critically wounded
Orlando officer faces prison for fleeing traffic stop in Seminole County
ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Police Department is launching an internal investigation into the conduct of an officer who threatened to shoot 22-year-old Zion Skepple last week. The investigation comes after Skepple’s mother posted a Ring video of the incident on Wednesday.
Thursday, a local mother is calling for the officer’s badge after capturing the moment he threatened to shoot her son, Zion Skepple. Orlando Police released the full body camera footage Thursday, which we watched in real time with his mother, Nealy—who was visibly upset.
“OPD, OPD, where he ran from you, where he ran from you. But you don’t have to run—he ran to him the whole time—he was already walking to his house. Like, come on, come on OPD. Yeah, come on OPD,” said Nealy.
According to Orlando Police, the officer responded to a call on July 4 around 6:40 p.m. about someone waving a gun in front of a group of people at Crossroads Apartments.
The caller described the suspect as a Black male with an afro, wearing a white T-shirt and black jeans. But Skepple’s mother points out her son has dreadlocks and was not wearing black jeans that day.
“My point is, this is what our Black kids have to endure. These are the lives they live—being profiled like this. This is what I’m talking about,” said Nealy.
https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FOrlandoPolice%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0pRHbUwSGBZ2MudkbBUC5MXfB8NnqVYcrL64eFALzAMPaczxU27EyofWSqPxwqVUfl&show_text=true&width=500
Police said they gave Skepple multiple commands to stop, but he kept walking away. An officer tried using a Taser, but it didn’t stop him.
Officers said Skepple ran toward an apartment and was hit with a second Taser shot, which brought him down. He quickly got back up, turned, and made a motion like he was reaching for something. That’s when the officer drew their gun and ordered him to the ground.
His mother said the body-camera footage doesn’t match what’s written in the police report, and she insisted her son had a legal right to carry a firearm.
“That is his gun. It’s a registered firearm. As you can see—he wasn’t even charged with it,” said Nealy.
Nealy said she wants justice for her son, who needed stitches after the encounter left his face busted open.
According to police, Skepple ultimately complied with the responding officer, and he was taken into custody. Police said they found an extended magazine with 31 rounds and cannabis on his person.
As a result, Skepple now faces charges of possessing cannabis and resisting an officer without violence.
Skepple bonded out and is set to make his first court appearance on Aug. 6.
Nealy said she plans to take legal action against the Orlando Police Department.
