New Mexico Man Faces Murder Charge After Deadly Enchilada Argument with Cousin

A 22-year-old resident of New Mexico, Ervin Joaquin Gutierrez, has been taken into custody and is now facing a murder charge. This arrest follows allegations that he fatally shot his cousin, Nathaniel Cavazos, during a heated dispute that reportedly began over enchiladas. Police reports indicate that both cousins had been consuming alcohol and were in the process of preparing green enchiladas when an argument erupted. The disagreement centered on whose food contained the spicier chile. The altercation quickly escalated from a verbal disagreement into a physical fistfight. It was during this escalation that Gutierrez allegedly produced a firearm and shot Cavazos. Following the incident, Gutierrez reportedly sent a message via Snapchat, asserting that his cousin had threatened his life and that he had no intention of killing him. He was apprehended on Friday and subsequently booked on an open count of murder.