Mom Who Let Her Teenage Son Take Fall for Murder She Committed Finally Pleads Guilty

A New Mexico mother who initially let her 16-year-old son got to jail for a murder she committed is behind bars -- thanks to messages her other son shared on Facebook, exposing her while writing, "I hate her for what she did."

Elizabeth Ortiz-Chavez pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the March 2022 shooting death of 16-year-old Josue Ruiz -- after previously letting her son take the fall for the murder.

According to docs obtained by Law & Crime, the 49-year-old New Mexico mother shot Ruiz behind Lindy's Diner in downtown Albuquerque -- but it was her son, Angelo Baldonado, then 16, who was charged as an adult for the crime.

Ortiz-Chavez allegedly shot the victim after setting up a fight between Ruiz and her son and driving to the alleyway near Fifth Street and Central Avenue. Prior to the shooting, Angelo Baldonado's pregnant sister -- whom Ruiz was dating -- allegedly told family that Ruiz had hit her.

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In a probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, jail calls between Baldonado and his mother show she was on the verge of coming forward with the truth, but Baldonado insisted that she not for the sake of the family.

Prosecutors say she wanted to blame her son because he was a minor and would receive a lesser sentence -- but her other son, Baldonado's brother, ended up exposing their mother a year later.

In a March 2023 conversation on Facebook with a woman, he said what really happened.

"She advised me that during their conversations (Baldonado's brother) did advise her that Angelo and his mother, Elizabeth Ortiz-Chavez, had gone to fight Josue and that Josue tried to pull a gun on them and that he got shot before he could take out his gun, but that detectives had charged his brother with the murder," the investigating detective's complaint read. "Gilbert also disclosed that the 'crazy part about it' was that his brother is not 'telling' on his mom."

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In the messages, the brother expressed frustration that their mother would allow him to take the fall.

"I have an older brother locked up because of her," he told the woman. "I hate her for what she did. He deserves to be home with his daughter. She'll never know him at all because she's a selfish bitch."

"She's the worst of the worst," he added.

The woman who corresponded with Baldonado ultimately came forward to police and relayed the conversation, leading cops to arrest Ortiz-Chavez for murder.

Baldonado did not get out scot-free, however. Since he participated in and organized the deadly fight, he was sentenced to four years in prison for assault and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

Ortiz-Chavez faces up to 18 years behind bars when she's sentenced.