Albuquerque business owner faces murder charge for shooting fleeing shoplifter
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – An Albuquerque business owner is facing a murder charge after police said he shot a fleeing shoplifter.
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According to the Albuquerque Police Department, the owner of Moe's Smoke Shop shot a shoplifter who was reversing his car away from the store. 'A lot of commotion. We went ahead and came to the windows by my work, we looked out, we saw a guy running out, that fled in a white Toyota Camry. Then we saw the owner of the smoke shop also out there,' said an employee at a nearby business who wanted to remain anonymous.
Mohtasem Mahir Thabata, the owner of Moe's Smoke Shop, is facing a murder charge. According to a police report, officers arrived around 3 p.m. Wednesday to a shopping center near Lomas Blvd. and San Mateo Blvd. When they arrived, they found a burned car and a man, identified as Matthew Sedillo, on the ground with a bullet wound, where he soon after was pronounced dead on scene.
Police eventually spoke to Thabata, who admitted to shooting at Sedillo, who he said stole two shirts and a glass bong from his store, before trying to flee in a car. Thabata told police he was trying to shoot the tire, but instead, Sedillo was hit and killed. The car crashed into another vehicle in the Sprouts parking lot, then ended up across the street where it hit a curb and caught fire. Thabata told officers he was angry and that he doesn't like violence, but he said Sedillo left him no choice.
'At the end of the day, as frustrating as it can be, it's just inventory. Most businesses, including ours, has insurance for that, and it's never worth taking or risking your own life for just inventory,' said the anonymous employee.
The total amount of stolen merchandise was $75. Thabata doesn't have a significant criminal history in New Mexico.
Matthew Sedillo was recently released from jail after being found incompetent. He has a long criminal history of battery, shoplifting, burglary, and more.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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