Ervin Joaquin Gutierrez, 22. Mugshot is a public record.
Man shoots, kills cousin during heated argument over whose enchiladas were spicier: police
by Bob Gambert | KABB | Tuesday, September 1, 2026 | 3:57 PM MDT | Updated: 4:01 PM MDT
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KABB) — A New Mexico man was arrested after allegedly shooting and killing his cousin during an argument over whose plate of green chile enchiladas was hotter, according to authorities.
Ervin Joaquin Gutierrez, 22, was charged with an open count of murder in the Aug. 27 killing of 25-year-old Nathaniel Cavazos. . . . .
A witness, who identified himself as a cousin to both men, told investigators that the group had spent the afternoon drinking alcohol and cooking green chile enchiladas.
Tension mounted during dinner when Gutierrez repeatedly insisted that the chile on his enchiladas was spicier than the chile on Cavazos’ plate and challenged him to try it, the affidavit stated. Cavazos responded that all the enchiladas had been prepared together and carried equal heat.
I have no idea whose chile was spicier, but, allegedly, of course, Mr Gutierrez’s gun was hotter.
In spotting this story, I was reminded of Jametrius M. Griffin, 18, of Lexington, Kentucky, who decided to go to a public park during a public event and kill a 16-year-old, out in the open, in broad daylight, for no serious reason at all.
These guys are just about as stupid as anyone can be. Over an argument about how spicy someone’s green chile is, Mr Gutierrez has, allegedly, decided to spend much of the rest of his miserable life behind bars. Over a dispute of some sort, Mr Griffin has decided that yeah, he’d like to spend possibly the rest of his life at Kentucky’s Eddyville prison. And if these guys get out, they’ll just commit other crimes, because they are just plain stupid.