A 21-year-old man has been sentenced for second-degree murder following a fatal altercation in a movie theater, allegedly sparked by a dispute over reserved seating.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman announced on Facebook on February 12 that Enrique Padilla had pleaded no contest to charges of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence.
The incident occurred in June 2023 in Northeast Albuquerque when Padilla and his girlfriend arrived at a screening of No Hard Feelings, the Jennifer Lawrence comedy, only to find someone sitting in their reserved seats.
According to the Albuquerque Police Department, witnesses reported that Enrique Padilla confronted another moviegoer after believing they were sitting in the seats he and his girlfriend had reserved.
The man in question was 52-year-old Michael Tenorio, who had gone to the theater with his wife.
Theater staff attempted to de-escalate the situation, but the argument persisted. Police say Padilla allegedly threw a bucket of popcorn at Tenorio and his wife, prompting Tenorio to push him in response. Moments later, several gunshots rang out.
In a Facebook post, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman stated: “Padilla pulled out a gun and shot and killed Tenorio, then hid the weapon to make it appear as though he was a victim as well.”
Tenorio was struck, collapsed to the ground, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Padilla, whose no contest plea means he did not admit guilt, was found hiding near a bush by an emergency exit of the theater. He had also suffered a gunshot wound, for which he later received treatment.
According to police, Padilla’s girlfriend got into a physical altercation with Tenorio’s wife before fleeing the scene.
A teenager at the time of the incident, Padilla was arrested and later faced trial. However, in November 2024, he halted proceedings by pleading no contest.
Tenorio, an Army veteran, was remembered as a “beloved husband and father.”
During the sentencing hearing, his sister expressed her grief, saying she was “angry and hurt” over the loss of her brother, whose life was taken “needlessly,” according to KRQE.
Padilla has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
