26-05-2025
Community mourns beloved church family after tragic suspected murder-suicide in Albuquerque
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – We are learning more about the family involved in a tragic suspected murder-suicide. The victims include two devoted members of their church, Stephen Bockemeier and his wife Marcia, as well as their sons. Their passing has come as a great shock to those who knew them.
David Wintermute, a family friend, expressed his disbelief, saying, 'As Christians, one of our callings is to serve the Lord, and serving the Lord means serving the community. Loving the Lord and loving the community is what they embodied. Understanding the circumstances of their deaths is incredibly hard, especially when thinking about why bad things happen to good people.'
A shooting rampage against police takes officers on a city wide car chase; New Mexico Crime Files
According to their social media pages, Stephen was a retired pastor who had been working with Heaven's Door Ministry in the International District, while Marcia served as an assistant pastor at Revival Church. Before retiring to focus on ministry, Stephen worked for the city of Albuquerque. Their eldest son, Erik, had a passion for acting and was involved in theater.
Friends described the family as loving and bright. 'They were just what you would think of as a great, normal family. Our church had many community activities, and they were involved in feeding the homeless on Third Street. We did many things together and raised our families alongside each other,' said Wintermute.
APD investigates shooting near Arroyo Del Oso Golf Course
On social media, Stephen and Marcia's daughter-in-law, who lives out of state with their third son, shared her shock at the tragedy, calling Stephen and Marcia an amazing couple who positively impacted many lives.
News 13 is still gathering information about Andrew Bockemeier, whom police are identifying as the offender. He was a local attorney, and we are working to confirm whether he was actively practicing law before the incidents occurred.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
