Mariana Gomez-Salinas sentenced in Albuquerque teen kidnapping and death

A judge sentenced Mariana Gomez-Salinas to nearly two decades in prison for an Albuquerque kidnapping and killing. The court ordered her to serve 19.5 years behind bars for her role in the crime.

In May 2024, Mariana Gomez-Salinas lured 16-year-old Jesus Quintana-Cota out on a date. Gomez-Salinas and two other teens then kidnapped Cota. They took him to the Pajarito Mesa in Albuquerque. He was shot and killed there.

Someone passing through the area later discovered the body. In October, Salinas was found guilty of kidnapping and tampering with evidence.

Judge Joseph Montaño heard victim impact statements from the family on Thursday. Cota’s grandmother addressed the court about her loss.

“Jesus was a bright, and kind, and loving young man with his whole future ahead of him. He was more than a grandson; he was a reflection of his mother, my daughter, who died years before.”

The grandmother shared her deep grief during the hearing.

“When I was trying to begin to recover from the loss of my daughter, another tragedy arrived with the loss of my grandson Jesus.”

Judge Montaño then ordered Gomez Salinas to serve 19.5 years in prison.

Sentencing hearings allow judges to review convictions and hear from surviving family members. The court sets prison time based on the specific guilty verdicts returned in the case.

The punishment resolved the charges against Gomez-Salinas in Albuquerque. Justice was served.