Nathan Rivas found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder; two more suspects still awaiting trial

Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News

LAS CRUCES - A jury on Wednesday found 18-year-old Nathan Rivas guilty of three counts of first-degree murder for his role in the March 21, 2025, mass shooting at Young Park that left three people dead and 15 others injured.

Jurors returned guilty verdicts tied to the deaths of Dominick Estrada, 19, Andrew Madrid, 16, and Jason Gomez, 18. Prosecutors said the three were killed when gunfire erupted during an unsanctioned car meet that drew hundreds of people to the park late that evening.

Investigators said an altercation between groups escalated into an exchange of gunfire, sending bystanders fleeing and leaving victims scattered across the park and surrounding parking areas. In total, 18 people were struck by gunfire or shrapnel — making the incident the largest mass shooting in recent New Mexico history by total number of victims.

Rivas was 17 at the time of the shooting but was prosecuted as an adult.

He is the second defendant convicted in the case. On Feb. 16, a jury found his older brother, 21-year-old Tomas Rivas, guilty of three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the same shooting.

"A community is ultimately defined by what it refuses to tolerate. When a jury returns a verdict this decisively, it is a voice declaring, with absolute clarity, that this outrageous behavior will not be tolerated," District Attorney Fernando Macias said in a statement. "Our community will not tolerate this level of violence. The loss of Dominick, Andrew, and Jason remains a profound and lasting wound on the soul of our city. But with each step toward accountability, we are slowly repairing the fabric of our community. We are reaffirming our shared commitment to a future where our children can live, gather, and thrive free from the paralyzing fear of gun violence."

Chief Deputy District Attorney Spencer Willson added, "The sheer speed of this verdict speaks volumes. It took this jury less than an hour to look at the facts and recognize the absolute, reckless disregard for human life that occurred at Young Park. Accountability is not optional in our community. If you participate in bringing this kind of devastating violence into our public spaces, you will face the absolute full weight of the justice system. We stand firmly with the Estrada, Madrid and Gomez families today, and we will not rest until every individual responsible for this tragedy answers for their crimes."

Four suspects were arrested in the days following the incident and charged in connection with the gunfire. The cases have proceeded on separate tracks through the courts.

Two remaining defendants are still awaiting trial. Proceedings for Josiah Ontiveros are scheduled to begin April 1, followed by a July 1 trial for Gustavo Dominguez.

The March 2025 shooting — which left three people dead and 15 others wounded — drew statewide attention and remains one of the most significant mass casualty events in the state’s recent history.

Damien Willis is founder and editor of Organ Mountain News. He can be reached at OrganMountainNews@gmail.com or on X at @damienwillis.