Ayleen Vanessa Ordonez-Gutierrez
Age 16
Belen, New Mexico
A missing seat for graduation day
It happened on the banks of the Rio Grande River, west of a convenience store in Rio Communities, New Mexico.
A student at Atrisco Heritage Academy, she greeted everyone with her gleaming smile. Her family said she “lived everyday to the fullest.” When they saw the news on Facebook, friends couldn’t believe it. “I called her and texted her and I was like, ‘Dude, tell me it’s fake,’” one said.
Ayleen Vanessa Ordonez-Gutierrez was shot in the head and struck by a car on Aug. 26, 2018, at a “river party.” Police said there had been “several fights” and that shots were fired, one of which ended Ordonez’s life.
