Shop, hookers, dead girl may be linked

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - An Albuquerque North Valley auto body shop not far from where a teenage girl was found dead in a ditch was a front for a prostitution ring, according to a source with the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department.

And now investigators are looking into whether the girl, who had a history of prostitution, had any ties to the auto shop.

Amanda Wiley, 18, naked with a gunshot wound to the head, was found floating in a ditch near Edith Boulevard NE and Osuna Road  on April 20 .

After her death, deputies got a flood of tips, some telling them to look into an auto shop near where deputies found Wiley's body.

Deputies served a search warrant at Reflections Paint and Body this week after following up the tips it was a front for a prostitution ring and conducting surveillance.

A business owner in the same complex as the shop said all the neighbors know what goes on there and that it's not uncommon to see prostitutes coming and going.

"There's prostitution going on in there, we can't prove it,” the business owner who wanted to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation said. “We can't prove it.  We see it; we're not stupid.  Some of the girls are dressed half naked."

The business owner said women come at all hours of the day and night.

"Some come walking, some old men drop them off,” he said. “There are some that come that are all cracked out."

Investigators said Wiley may have been part of the alleged prostitution ring at some point.

Thursday deputies arrested the shop owner David Pacheco at his business where he also lives.

Deputies did not find any prostitutes but reported finding drugs and guns and charged Pacheco for that.

Investigators also took recordings from Pacheco's security cameras that look out over the front of his shop.

They plan to go over that video to see if there are any shots of Wiley.

Pacheco does not have any prior charges dealing with prostitution but has been arrested many times for drugs and assault charges.

Deputies said they do not have any suspects in Wiley's murder.

She was last seen by a police officer who dropped her off on Central Avenue in Nob Hill after she tried to turn herself in for a petty warrant that was no longer active.

That was a few hours before her murder.