TO GET THE HELP THAT HIS ATTORNEY BELIEVES HE NEEDS. THE NOW 12 YEAR OLD BOY ACCUSED OF KILLING 63 YEAR OLD SCOTT HABERMEHL, HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED TO RECEIVE TREATMENT IN PENNSYLVANIA THIS JUST HOURS AFTER HE WAS SCHEDULED FOR A HEARING TO POSSIBLY BE RELEASED ON TUESDAY. THAT HEARING, NOW VACATED THE RELEASE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN JUST RELEASING OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY ON HIS OWN. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN ALL KINDS OF CONDITIONS. THE DISTURBING VIDEO SURFACING TO SOCIAL MEDIA BACK IN 2024. ARE YOU GUYS RECORDING? YEAH, THE BOY WAS 11 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME, WITH THREE OTHER TEENS IN THE CAR. WHEN HE POINTED THIS GUN APPROACHING HABERMEHL FROM BEHIND, JUST BUMP ING BRO. LIKE BUMPING. YEAH, JUST BUMP HIM. GO LIKE LIKE LIKE 15, 20. THEN IT STOPS. POLICE SAY THEY INTENTIONALLY RAN OVER HABERMEHL, WHO WAS RIDING HIS BIKE TO WORK AT SANDIA LABS. BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING AT THIS POINT FOR US WAS THAT HE CONTINUE TO RECEIVE TREATMENT AND BE TREATED LIKE A CHILD WHO AT SOME POINT IS GOING TO BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. THE BOY’S ATTORNEYS ARGUE HE WAS BOOKED AT THE JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER FOR LONGER THAN HE SHOULD HAVE, THOUGH ORDERED FOR TREATMENT TO NEARLY A YEAR AGO. MONTHS AND MONTHS IN DETENTION RATHER THAN IN A JUVENILE TREATMENT FACILITY. THE BOY WAS INITIALLY SENT TO SEQUOIA ADOLESCENT TREATMENT CENTER, BUT THEN WAS LATER TRANSFERRED TO JUVENILE DETENTION WHEN HE TURNED 12 YEARS OF AGE. THE BOY’S CASE NOW RAISING QUESTIONS. BERNALILLO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAM BREGMAN TELLING US THEY STILL PLAN TO PROSECUTE. WE CHECKED TO MAKE SURE IT’S A FACILITY THAT’S THAT’S LOCKED. IF YOU WILL. HE WILL BE RESTRICTED FROM LEAVING THAT FACILITY AND THAT WE DIDN’T WANT TO HAVE A PROBLEM HERE IN NEW MEXICO AND MAYBE HAVE IT BECOME A PROBLEM IN PENNSYLVANIA, IF YOU WILL, IF WE PROVE THE ALLEGATIONS TRUE IN A COURTROOM, THEN WE WE HOPE THAT HE’S HE’S DETAINED UNTIL HE’S 21 YEARS OF AGE, WHICH IS THE MOST WE CAN GET UNDER THE LAW. TARGET 7 INVESTIGATIONS. LEARNING OF THE BOY’S EXTENSIVE CRIMINAL HISTORY AT THE TIME. PRIOR TO THE KILLING, HE WAS CHARGED WITH A BREAK IN AT OSUNA ELEMENTARY. THIS BUSINESS AND POLICE SAY HE SHOT AT SOMEONE. THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL THAT SHOULD NOT BE ON OUR STREETS AND THAT WE NEED TO DEAL WITH. FORMER APD CHIEF MEDINA TELLING US THEN THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO APPREHEND HIM. WEEKS BEFORE THE KILLING. IT IS EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING. I MEAN, I KNOW HOW MUCH EFFORT THEY PUT TRYING TO LOCATE HIM. HE WAS A PRIORITY FOR US. BUT THEN WHEN YOU HAVE TO ADD IN ALL THE OTH
12-year-old charged in killing of New Mexico physicist transferred to Pennsylvania for treatment
“If we prove the allegations true in a courtroom, then we hope that he’s detained until he’s 21 years of age— which is the most we can get under the law,” Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said
The 12-year-old boy charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Scott Dwight Habermehl, 63, has been transferred to Pennsylvania to receive treatment nearly one year after being booked into Bernalillo County’s Juvenile Detention Center. On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, a hearing was scheduled to seek his release with conditions, according to attorneys. The suspect was 11 years old at the time of the incident. MORE: Arrest warrant had been issued for 11-year-old before deadly hit-and-runBackgroundAccording to Albuquerque Police Department, the 11-year-old along with three other teenagers intentionally struck Habermehl while riding his bike to work at Sandia National Laboratory, approximately 4:30 a.m. on May 29, 2024. Investigators discovered the teenagers videotaped the death of Habermehl from inside their car as the driver swerved from the southbound lane on Moon St. onto a dedicated bike line. The video of the incident surfaced onto social media. Related: New Mexico lawmakers shaken after juveniles suspected of killing 63-year-old physicistArrestsOn March 17, 2025, APD arrested a 13-year-old boy charged with intentionally crashing a stolen car into Habermehl in 2024An 11-year-old boy and a 15-year-old are also accused of participating in the crime that resulted in the death of HabermehlRelated: APD: Habermehl hit-and-run may be tied to social media trendOn Tuesday, KOAT spoke with Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman and New Mexico Law Offices of the Public Defender’s Chief Bennett Bauer regarding implications of the case. According to LOPD, they believe treatment is best for the 12-year-old in order to get the help they believe he needs opposed to being held at the Juvenile Justice Center. According to his attorneys, a court order was issued for the boy to receive treatment in 2025. “The release would not have been just releasing out into the community on his own. There would have been all kinds of conditions. The most important thing at this point for us was that he continued to receive treatment and be treated like a child who at some point is going to be out in the community,” Bauer told KOAT.”We need to have those kinds of facilities in New Mexico to help our children, because when they’re in the juvenile system, they will return to the community, and we want them to return as real members of the community, someone who can contribute, who won’t be a danger to others,” Bauer said.Initially, the 12-year-old was sent to Sequoyah Adolescent Treatment Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but was later transferred to the Juvenile Justice Center after he 12-years-old in May, 2025. Bregman told KOAT they still plan to prosecute the 12-year-old for his alleged role in the killing of Habermehl. Prosecutors argue the 12-year-old had an extensive criminal history prior to the killing of Habermehl. “We checked to make sure it’s a facility that’s locked, if you will. He will be restricted from leaving that facility and that we didn’t want to have a problem here in New Mexico and maybe have it become a problem in Pennsylvania, if you will,” Bregman told KOAT.”We are still prosecuting in this matter. If we prove the allegations true in a courtroom, then we hope that he’s detained until he’s 21 years of age, which is the most we can get under the law,” Bregman said.Stay updated on the latest news with the KOAT app. Download here
The 12-year-old boy charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Scott Dwight Habermehl, 63, has been transferred to Pennsylvania to receive treatment nearly one year after being booked into Bernalillo County’s Juvenile Detention Center.
On Tuesday, May 5, 2026, a hearing was scheduled to seek his release with conditions, according to attorneys. The suspect was 11 years old at the time of the incident.
MORE: Arrest warrant had been issued for 11-year-old before deadly hit-and-run
Background
According to Albuquerque Police Department, the 11-year-old along with three other teenagers intentionally struck Habermehl while riding his bike to work at Sandia National Laboratory, approximately 4:30 a.m. on May 29, 2024. Investigators discovered the teenagers videotaped the death of Habermehl from inside their car as the driver swerved from the southbound lane on Moon St. onto a dedicated bike line. The video of the incident surfaced onto social media.
Related: New Mexico lawmakers shaken after juveniles suspected of killing 63-year-old physicist
Arrests
- On March 17, 2025, APD arrested a 13-year-old boy charged with intentionally crashing a stolen car into Habermehl in 2024
- An 11-year-old boy and a 15-year-old are also accused of participating in the crime that resulted in the death of Habermehl
Related: APD: Habermehl hit-and-run may be tied to social media trend
On Tuesday, KOAT spoke with Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman and New Mexico Law Offices of the Public Defender’s Chief Bennett Bauer regarding implications of the case.
According to LOPD, they believe treatment is best for the 12-year-old in order to get the help they believe he needs opposed to being held at the Juvenile Justice Center. According to his attorneys, a court order was issued for the boy to receive treatment in 2025.
“The release would not have been just releasing out into the community on his own. There would have been all kinds of conditions. The most important thing at this point for us was that he continued to receive treatment and be treated like a child who at some point is going to be out in the community,” Bauer told KOAT.
“We need to have those kinds of facilities in New Mexico to help our children, because when they’re in the juvenile system, they will return to the community, and we want them to return as real members of the community, someone who can contribute, who won’t be a danger to others,” Bauer said.
Initially, the 12-year-old was sent to Sequoyah Adolescent Treatment Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but was later transferred to the Juvenile Justice Center after he 12-years-old in May, 2025. Bregman told KOAT they still plan to prosecute the 12-year-old for his alleged role in the killing of Habermehl. Prosecutors argue the 12-year-old had an extensive criminal history prior to the killing of Habermehl.
“We checked to make sure it’s a facility that’s locked, if you will. He will be restricted from leaving that facility and that we didn’t want to have a problem here in New Mexico and maybe have it become a problem in Pennsylvania, if you will,” Bregman told KOAT.
“We are still prosecuting in this matter. If we prove the allegations true in a courtroom, then we hope that he’s detained until he’s 21 years of age, which is the most we can get under the law,” Bregman said.
Stay updated on the latest news with the KOAT app. Download here
