NEWS
UNM student arrested in Houston following fatal shooting behind the Frontier
Zakiya Umstead allegedly led 23-year-old Eden Rock into an alleyway, where he was attacked by a group
A University of New Mexico student from Houston has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a man in an alley behind the Frontier Restaurant.
Zakiya Umstead, 20, is charged with an open count of murder, conspiracy and tampering with evidence in the death of 23-year-old Eden Rock.
Houston police arrested Umstead on Tuesday after the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Police Department issued a warrant for her arrest.
Two UNM students, Tenard Weekly and Jaylen Hopewell, and their alleged accomplices, Evan Rogers and Junior Lewis, are also charged in the May 13 shooting.
Umstead is a sophomore studying business at the Anderson School of Management, according to a university directory.
Umstead reportedly met Rock inside the Frontier around 10 p.m., according to an APD news release.
Before the meeting, surveillance footage showed Umstead and Lewis getting out of a Jeep, which was identified as Rogers鈥 vehicle, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.
The footage showed Umstead using her phone before she and Rock left Frontier and walked toward the alley about 40 minutes later, the complaint states.
鈥淒uring the unprovoked attack, (Umstead) appears to be communicating with the individuals inside of the Jeep, luring (Rock) to the parking lot 鈥,鈥 according to the complaint.
Surveillance footage showed the four men hiding behind a dumpster in the alley as Umstead and Rock approached, APD spokesman Gilbert Gallegos said in the news release. The group charged Rock and threw him to the ground before Weekly allegedly shot him twice.
Rock was taken to a hospital, where he died. A GoFundMe described him as a loving and caring person lost in a 鈥渟enseless tragedy.鈥
Footage showed Umstead turn and walk away as Rock was attacked and shot, Gallegos said.
鈥淚t appears as if the individual was aware of the preplanned attack,鈥 the complaint states.
Nakayla McClelland covers crime and breaking news. Reach her at nmcclelland@abqjournal.com or at 505-823-3857.