Background: Sheliky Sanchez appears in court on Aug. 9 (KOB). Inset: Joseph Andrus (Facebook).
A New Mexico teenager told police that he allegedly shot an Uber driver to death to “let some steam off,” saying he was dealing with “so much stress.”
Sheliky Sanchez, 18, appeared in court on Saturday, days after he was arrested on charges of first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Uber driver Joseph Andrus. According to a criminal complaint reviewed by Law&Crime, Sanchez told police that he was under a lot of stress and allegedly had his girlfriend order an Uber for the sole purpose of shooting someone.
The complaint stated that after midnight on Aug. 7, Sanchez told his girlfriend to order an Uber because “his friend had a car for him to borrow and that he was going to get it.” He allegedly had other, more violent plans.
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According to police, they first interviewed Sanchez”s girlfriend. The complaint stated that Sanchez allegedly had her order the Uber from her account. She told police that not long after she watched Sanchez get into the Uber and be driven off, she got an automated call from Uber because the ride “had come to a stop” without the drop-off being completed.
She called Sanchez to see if everything was okay, and he told her everything was fine. He later returned to her home in a black Ford Escape — later confirmed to be the Ford Escape registered to Andrus. The couple then drove to McDonald’s in the allegedly stolen vehicle and got a frappe. After that, they drove to a nearby park where they removed the vehicle’s license plate.
When police interviewed Sanchez, he said that he bought the Ford Escape on Facebook Marketplace for $1,900 cash from someone named “Angel.” The purchase, according to what he allegedly told police, took place on Aug. 6.
Police then asked Sanchez about the Uber ride he took on Aug. 7, to which Sanchez replied, “Uber ride. Thursday morning. What Uber ride?” He then claimed that he was asleep at his grandmother’s house by 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. on the night of Aug. 6 and did not wake up until 8 a.m. the next morning.
When police informed Sanchez that the vehicle he was driving belonged to an Uber driver who was shot dead in the early morning hours of Aug. 7, Sanchez responded, “What the f—?”
At that point, according to the complaint, police asked Sanchez if he wanted to tell them what really happened. He complied, allegedly telling police that in the early morning of Aug. 7, “he wanted to let some steam off due to ‘so much stress and so much bulls—.'” However, he did not want to take it out on “certain people,” instead allegedly targeting “anybody he could see or find.”
That was when he asked his girlfriend to order an Uber, police said. Sanchez allegedly told officers that he “cocked” his gun before getting in the car to make sure he got the first shot off in case the driver tried to attack him first. Once he was in the car and the ride began, Sanchez allegedly told police that Andrus “was actually really cool,” adding, “He had a whole ass talk with me and everything.”
When Andrus arrived at the drop-off location Sanchez had provided, Sanchez allegedly told him to get out of the car. But according to Sanchez, Andrus “was taking way too long” to listen to him. As Andrus started exiting the car, Sanchez allegedly said he shot him “like five times,” leaving him lying on the ground after he allegedly stole his vehicle. Sanchez then allegedly told police he got back out of the car and shot him again, remaining there to watch him die before getting back in the car and driving away.
Andrus was pronounced dead at the scene after being found by police.
According to the complaint, Sanchez told police that he “felt bad for him a little bit, but just getting that satisfaction out, out of the way, it’s like a relief. Like taking an in and out breath.”
Police stated that they asked Sanchez if he ordered the Uber to steal the car or shoot the driver, to which he answered, “to shoot him.” Sanchez went on to say that Andrus “seemed like a good guy,” but added, “I don’t really go for good people.” He also told police that he “wished he picked a different driver that looked big and buff.”
Local NBC affiliate KOB obtained a comment from Andrew Hasbun, the head of safety communications at Uber, who said, “We are shocked and heartbroken for Joseph’s family and loved ones after this senseless attack. We’ve been in contact with the police and are grateful for their work to bring those responsible to justice.”
Andrus’ mother told KOB: “Joseph is so very loved. He is a light in this world that can’t be dimmed. We deeply appreciate the Albuquerque Police Department and respectfully request that any questions be directed to them.”
Sanchez was charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, and tampering with evidence. He is being held at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center without bail.
