Albuquerque, NM — In a chilling act of premeditated violence, 18-year-old Sheliky Sanchez allegedly chose his victim randomly—an Uber driver—and executed him in a horrifying display of callous detachment. The killing has left both the local community and the nation reeling.
According to criminal court documents, on the night of August 10, 2025, Sanchez orchestrated his own Uber ride by asking his girlfriend to request one using the pretext that “his friend had a car for him” . Around 3 a.m., after selecting his driver, identified as Joseph Andrus, he told the man to stop at a drop-off point in southwest Albuquerque.
Once at the location, Sanchez forced Andrus out of the vehicle and shot him multiple times—execution-style, police said . Surveillance and investigation revealed that Sanchez then stole the vehicle and drove it to his girlfriend’s home, where law enforcement swiftly arrested him .
During interrogation, Sanchez admitted that the killing was not random chaos, but a calculated act: he said he did it to “let off some steam” from overwhelming stress, and that he had filtered through multiple rideshare apps before choosing Andrus. He further revealed a disturbing mindset—prioritizing emotional release over human life—even describing the moment as a “relief… like taking an in and out breath.” Despite recognizing Andrus as “a good guy,” Sanchez said, “I don’t go for good people” .
Sanchez now faces multiple charges: first-degree murder, armed robbery, and tampering with evidence. Authorities have filed a pretrial detention motion to keep him behind bars pending his trial, as he posed a severe risk to public safety .
The random and motive-free nature of the murder has deeply shaken public trust. In response, Uber released a statement expressing devastation over the senseless loss and pledging full cooperation with law enforcement .
As this case proceeds, it raises urgent questions about mental health, youth violence, and the vulnerability inherent in rideshare services—a fatal vulnerability that claimed one more innocent life this weekend.