Naman Shrestha
An unarmed man named Brandon York was shot to death in a parking lot in New Mexico, in 2022. Little did the killer know that he was being captured on camera while he committed the crime. ‘Real Time Crime: Catch Me If You Can’ documents the events that led to the crime and how the video was crucial in bringing the perpetrator to justice. With intricate details about the Brandon murder case exposed through interviews and dramatization of the crime, the episode offers a detailed account of everything, including the identity of the perpetrator.
How Did Brandon York Die?
Born in the late 1970s, Brandon York was 43 years old at the time of his death. Although very little is known about him, it is public knowledge that he had struggles related to homelessness, mental health, and last but not least, alcoholism. However, before his demise, he had managed to get into a program where he was provided with housing and general help for his mental health issues.
With so much to look forward to, Brandon was excited about the fact that despite his history with alcohol, he was finally approved to get an apartment for himself. This would have been the first of the many steps towards his betterment. Sadly, he did not get a chance to better himself as on the evening of July 23, 2022, Brandon suffered multiple gunshot wounds at the Safeway gas station in Farmington, New Mexico, near the intersection of East Main Street and Plaza Center. Alarmed by the shooting noises, the authorities rushed to the crime scene and found the 43-year-old man lying dead in the parking lot.
Who Killed Brandon York?
Apart from Brandon’s body, the reporting party also spotted the shooting suspect getting into a blue Ford Ranger, and driving eastwards. They informed the other officers in the area about the car and after some chasing, the suspect was stopped near 30th Street and College Boulevard. Driving the car was the suspect, Guillermo Humberto Aguirre IV, who was accompanied by two other passengers in the car — a 21-year-old male and a 25-year-old female.
While two individuals who were with the suspect were questioned and released, Aguirre was transported to the Farmington Police Department Detective Division for an interview. According to the detailed testimonies of witnesses, things between Brandon and Aguirre escalated when the former allegedly threw food into his basket. Aguirre had a landscaping business and used to hire individuals who panhandled the area. On the fateful day, Aguirre and a couple of his accomplices were in the area looking to recruit people and that was when they came across Brandon York.
As per Aguirre’s claims, Brandon was the one who started the entire confrontation by yelling and throwing rocks at him. According to the suspect, the victim also told him that he had a gun on him, after which Aguirre felt threatened and pulled out his stun gun to scare him off and handle the situation without any bloodshed. However, when it didn’t work and Brandon threw a rock at him instead, Aguirre reached for his Taurus G-2 9 mm handgun and shot him. However, upon inspecting the body, the police did not find any gun on the victim.
The entire incident was captured on camera by a witness present near the crime scene. The video showed Aguirre shooting Brandon once, after which the latter fell to the ground. After lowering his gun, the 21-year-old armed man took two steps towards the fallen Brandon and fired 8-9 shots in quick succession. Despite all the incriminating evidence against him, he reportedly told the authorities that he ran away after his friend. In his defense, he still claimed that it was Brandon who was the aggressor.
He said that he was only defending himself after he was left almost unconscious by the rocks that the victim threw his way. In light of the video evidence and testimonies, the investigators managed to obtain an arrest warrant for Aguirre for the murder of Brandon York in Farmington, New Mexico. Soon after the arrest warrant was obtained, the suspect was arrested, taken into custody, and booked into the San Juan County Adult Detention Center.
Where is Guillermo Aguirre Now?
Guillermo Aguirre was charged with aggravated assault using a deadly weapon and second-degree murder for Brandon York’s murder case. After pleading guilty to the charges, he received a 15-year imprisonment sentence. Currently, he is serving his sentence behind bars in Lea County Correctional Center/LCCF at 6900 West Millen Drive in Hobbs, New Mexico.
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