18-Year-Old Charged with Murder after Roadside Shooting

An 18-year-old from New Mexico was arrested last week after allegedly killing his Uber driver in a shooting on the side of the road. The suspect, Sheliky Sanchez, was taken into custody at his girlfriend’s residence in Albuquerque and faces charges of murder, armed robbery, and evidence tampering.

According to police reports, Sanchez had asked his girlfriend to order an Uber around 1 a.m. on the night of the incident, claiming he was retrieving a friend’s car. When the ride was interrupted, she received an automated call from Uber checking on his well-being, which Sanchez assured her he was fine.

At approximately 3 a.m., the Uber driver, Joseph Andrus, was found dead, having been shot multiple times. His vehicle, a black Ford Escape, was missing. Investigators later discovered Sanchez had stolen the car after the murder and drove it to his girlfriend’s home, where it was impounded.

Initially denying involvement, Sanchez insisted he had been asleep all night and had not used Uber. He claimed to have bought the stolen car with cash from someone else, denying any connection to the victim. However, police soon uncovered inconsistencies in his story, leading Sanchez to admit that he shot Andrus intentionally, intending to “let off some steam” after a stressful day.

He reportedly chose his victim after browsing various rideshare apps and decided on Andrus. Sanchez admitted to forcing Andrus to exit the vehicle at a designated location, then shooting him multiple times as he bled out on the ground. Sanchez remarked, “He seemed like a good guy. I don’t really go for good people,” and described Andrus as “really cool,” who had been friendly during the ride.

Although showing some remorse, Sanchez stated that shooting Andrus provided a sense of relief, describing it as “like a breath of fresh air.” He is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Bernalillo County, NM.