Man charged with second cold case murder

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Paul Apodaca was arraigned Monday on charges of killing a teenage girl in the ‘80s. And police say he confessed to three cold case murders.

Apodaca appeared by telephone in court Monday — to be arraigned on charges relating to a second cold case murder.

Prosecutors say he’s the man who shot and killed 13-year-old Stella Gonzales in 1988. Stella and a friend were walking along Central near Tingley around one in the morning when someone in a car shot at them.

Apodaca was charged with the murder just last week.

"We will enter a plea of not guilty to count one of the indictment at this time,” said Nicholas Hart, defense attorney.

His attorney entered a not guilty plea for him. But Albuquerque Police believe Apodaca isn’t just a repeat offender — but possibly a serial killer.

Police say he confessed to at least three murders. After officers arrested him for a probation violation back in July, they say Apodaca started to talk.

"A couple weeks ago we were approached and violent crimes advised me they had a suspect for a number of violent crimes and they were trying to find the cases and the case they had the strongest on was the first and they mentioned it was the murder of a female outside UNM in the 1980s,” said Albuquerque Police Department Chief Harold Medina.

That was Althea Oakeley’s case. She was stabbed to death after leaving a fraternity party in 1988.

“Apodaca has admitted to additional shootings and murders, including the homicide of 18-year-old Kaitlyn Arquette in 1989,” said Medina.

Arquette was shot in the head – while she was driving down Lomas in 1989. While police say Apodaca admitted to this killing — he hasn’t been charged with it yet.

Officers are working to wrap up their investigation, before charges are filed.

Apodaca is currently being held in jail on charges related to the murder of Althea Oakeley. A detention hearing for the charges related to the death of Stella Gonzales is set for Thursday.