Transcript

Episode 324

From Sword and Scale · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 1 h 4 min · 10,908 words · 264 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "Episode 324", an episode of Sword and Scale published December 18, 2025 (1 h 4 min, about 10,908 words). It mentions 10 people, works and ideas, including Amber Archeletta, Pfiio Brown, William Brown, Frankie Archeletta, Kiana Gonzalez.

What this episode is about

The narrative follows 15-year-old Frankie Archeletta in a frantic race to find help after his sister is critically injured during a chaotic shooting incident. Amid conflicting reports and police confusion, Frankie desperately guides law enforcement to the scene, highlighting the urgency and chaos of the situation as they attempt to locate his sister before it's too late.

Key takeaways

  • In a crisis, every second counts—missed details can turn tragedy into catastrophe.
  • Panic often outweighs rational thought; even well-intentioned responses can hinder true help.
  • Teenage bravery shines amidst chaos, proving that youth can hold the weight of tragedy.
  • Dispatch could be a life-saver or a life-taker; communication breakdowns are more than just errors.
  • Grief cloaked in fear complicates desperate situations; losing one family member shouldn’t mean losing another.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 10:00: Frankie Archeletta, Amber Archeletta, Pfiio Brown, Kiana Gonzalez
  2. – 20:00: William Brown, Amber Archeletta, TA County Jail
  3. – 30:00: New Mexico State Police, Amber Archeletta, Pfiio Brown, Kiana Gonzalez
  4. – 40:00: Amber Archeletta, Frankie Archeletta, Kiana Gonzalez
  5. – 50:00: William Brown, Benny Hargrove, TA County Jail, Pamela Hearnden
  6. – 1:00:00: Amber Archeletta, William Brown, Pfiio Brown, Benny's Law

Notable quotes from "Episode 324"

  • Frankie, wasn't, the, only, person, who witnessed the shooting. Crouching next to Amber's lifeless body is 14-year-old Kiana Gonzalez.
    about Kiana Gonzalez · at
  • At work or on his way home. He definitely isn't here yet. His son 14-year-old Pfiio Brown, was hanging out with his three friends at the house when all of this went down. There…
    about Pfiio Brown · at
  • It's, July, 28th,, 2023, in, the, rural, town of Qua, New Mexico. 13-year-old Amber Archeletta has just been pronounced dead outside of her friend's house. She's been shot in…
    about Amber Archeletta · at
  • So, for right now, state police is on scene. Their IV guys are out here.
    about New Mexico State Police · at
  • For them? If so, kindly [ __ ] off and unsubscribe now. Now, let's hear what Frankie says when he's confronted with these inconsistencies.
    about Frankie Archeletta · at
  • The law is called Benny's Law, and it took effect in June of 2023 less than a month before Amber's murder.
    about Benny's Law · at
  • Within minutes of his arrest, the whole group was on speakerphone with his employer at the TA County Jail.
    about TA County Jail · at
  • And that he'd be free of this whole inconvenient ordeal sooner rather than later. William Brown would be the first person in New Mexico tried under Benny's law. This added a political layer to the case. Even so, he was sure he'd walk.
    about William Brown · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Amber Archeletta — Person · Victim (homicide case subject) · 9 mentions · first at
    13-year-old girl who was shot and killed; the episode reconstructs the incident, investigation, and legal aftermath centered on her death.
  • Pfiio Brown — Person · Primary suspect / shooter (juvenile defendant) · 3 mentions · first at
    14-year-old present at the scene; witnesses later state he produced a handgun, shot Amber, and attempted to stage a drive-by narrative and clean up evidence.
  • William Brown — Person · Property owner; father of suspect; defendant under Benny’s Law · 8 mentions · first at
    Owner of the home where the shooting occurred and father of Pfiio; works at the county jail; arrested/charged under the new safe-storage statute and later acquitted.
  • Frankie Archeletta — Person · Victim’s brother; eyewitness / initial reporter · 5 mentions · first at
    15-year-old brother who runs to find police, is present during response, and is interviewed about conflicting early accounts (drive-by vs inside shooting).
  • Kiana Gonzalez — Person · Eyewitness; Amber’s girlfriend; 911 caller · 3 mentions · first at
    14-year-old girlfriend of Amber who calls 911 and later provides the key account that the shooting happened inside the house after Pfiio pulled out a handgun.
  • Benny Hargrove — Person · Referenced victim (namesake of legislation) · 2 mentions · first at
    13-year-old killed in a separate Albuquerque school shooting; his death is cited as the impetus for 'Benny’s Law' used to charge William Brown.
    Our community. What should have been a harmless schoolyard argument turned deadly when 13-year-old Benny Hargrove was shot and killed by a classmate.

Companies & orgs

  • New Mexico State Police — Company · Law enforcement agency · 2 mentions · first at
    Primary law enforcement agency involved in the investigation and enforcement of Benny's Law in the case.
  • TA County Jail — Company · Employer · 4 mentions · first at
    Employer of William Brown, whose unsecured firearms led to the incident under Benny's Law.

Concepts & topics

  • Benny's Law — Concept · Core topic · 2 mentions · first at
    A new state statute that holds adults accountable for unsecured firearms accessible to minors, leading to harm or death.

Sponsors

  • Pamela Hearnden — Person · Referenced policymaker (bill sponsor) · 2 mentions · first at
    New Mexico state representative cited as spearheading/sponsoring the bill associated with Benny’s Law, emphasizing safe firearm storage to prevent minors’ access.
    Democratic, Representative, Pamela Hearnden spearheaded this bill as one of the sponsors.

Full transcript with timestamps

Sword and Scale contains adult themes and violence and is not intended for all audiences. Listener discretion is advised.

We, don't, have, another, place, to, go. Better. I, mean,, I, you, appreciate, that, there's, a dead girl on your porch, right?

Yeah. I, don't, have, an, option, either. 15-year-old Frankie Archeletta is running as fast as he can. Each step kicks up a cloud of dust as 104 Cabresto Road shrinks behind him. That's where police were supposed to go, but they missed it. And now Frankie has to find them. His lungs burn, partly from the running, but mostly from panic. Finally he sees the red and blue lights getting closer. Frankie frantically waves his arms, trying to flag them down. The cruiser barely slows to a stop before Frankie jumps in the back seat.

Stop., Right, here., This, turn., This, turn. Turn right. No, no, no. The gate. Yeah there's two gates.

Bravo. Yeah,, yeah,, yeah., Yeah,, yeah., Just, go in. I, know,, dude. I [ __ ] know.

It's, July, 28th,, 2023. And earlier in the afternoon, multiple calls came into the Questa Police Department. A 13-year-old girl has been shot somewhere on Cabesto Road. But as dispatch tried to confirm the details everything blurred into confusion. wrong addresses, contradictory witness statements, even someone mentioning that the shooting was a driveby. By the time police and EMS arrived, they weren't sure which house was the right one.

Swear, to, God, she's, she's, dead,, I, think. I, don't, know., She's, on, the, ground, there

somewhere., [ __ ], door. They're, locked., Open the, damn, door. 404 tells they've, already, wasted, precious, minutes. Meanwhile, Frankie's sister is bleeding out.

They, can, come, by, if, they, want, or, they can patrol the area. I have a possible suspect vehicle of a black Yukon tinted windows. No 28.

Frankie, and, the, growing, squad, of, Qua police officers run towards the patch of dry dirt near the back porch attached to the house. All of the properties off Cabresto Road are rural and sprawling. They're plots of land with blurred borders spotted with prefab homes and sheds, farming equipment, broken down vehicles, and herds of fenced in farm animals. By now there's a group of police officers huddled around Frankie's sister, Amber. She's lying face up, her wound bleeding into the dry ground her head. Frankie is frantic to say the least. Everything happened so fast. He hasn't even had time to call his dad and alert him.

Relax., Relax. I, don't, know. Chill., Chill. What's, up,, buddy? Calm, down. Roll, up, to, 55.

I'm, backing, up., You, need, to, back, up. You, need, sister., You, need, to, back, up, dude. You need to back up.

She, lied. Tell me. Tell me. Are, you, there? Yes. Okay,, I'm, going, to, go, ahead, and, let, you go so you can talk to them.

Shut, the,, [ __ ], up,, dispatch. If, Amber, dies,, the, call, to, his, father will be much more difficult for Frankie to make. Their mother just passed away the previous year. Frankie can't bear the thought of telling his dad they've lost another family member. [gasps]

She's, still, alive., I'm, feeling, like she, Well,, where's, the, ambulance, at?, I don't think you guys dispatched the residence.

What, happened,, guys? She's, still, She's, She's, She, still, has, a pulse. She still has a pulse.

Come, [ __ ], faster. I, don't, care., I, don't, know, what happened. I'm [ __ ] Oh my god.

What, are, we, doing,, Trav? Please, hurry, up, and, [ __ ], get, someone here. They're on the way.

Frankie, wasn't, the, only, person, who witnessed the shooting. Crouching next to Amber's lifeless body is 14-year-old Kiana Gonzalez. You can hear her crying. She's been on the phone with 911 dispatch. Her hands covered in blood. She's sobbing. And at some point, she got bit by a dog. Her medical needs are obviously not the top priority, but she doesn't care. Amber, the girl dying on the ground is Kiana's girlfriend.

Where, did, this, happen?, Right, here. And, then, I, don't, know, what, happened.

Go, ahead. We, do, have, the, ambulance, coming, from Red, [ __ ], River. Also,, we, did, payest, fire.

So, much, for, [ __ ] the, [ __ ], out. [ __ ] she live. Is there anything I can give you?

Road, again. She, still, She, still, has, a, pulse,, bud. And, I'm, going to, have, to, ask, you,, bro. What you're doing right now is not helping., I'm, going to, need, you, either, go sit down over here or just give us a second. Okay. You don't need to be upset. I understand. I understand. But what you're doing right now is I understand. But what you're doing right now is not helping. Okay? I'm not trying to be an [ __ ] too. I'm not trying to be an [ __ ] too. I'm trying to help you, buddy. Okay? This what you're doing right now is helping. Please just go over there with much.

Well,, here's, the, here's, the, thing,, dude. The medics are on the way. All we can all we can try to do is is keep her alive while the medics are

She, is, She, has, a, pulse., So,, you, need, you It's It's pretty good. So, can you please just go over there and let us do our job, please?

It's, okay., It's, okay., But, I, understand you're upset. I totally get it. Okay.

Put, the, cats, Put, the, cats, inside. What, do, you, feel? All right,, guys., We're, We're, going to need We're going to need you to back up. Please. Please. Please. Guys, being here is not going to help. Believe me. Let us do our job. Let us do our job. Travis knows exactly what he's doing. Travis knows exactly what he's doing. I understand. I understand. Is she alive?

The, closer, you, are. Does, she, hold Does she have a pulse? She, has, a, pulse.

Right, now., She, has, a, pulse., I, just, need you. I just need you to step back for a second. I understand it's your sister. I understand you love her. We're going to do everything we [ __ ] possibly can to help her. Okay. I promise you. I promise you that. Okay.

It's, okay., It's, okay., I, understand you're mad. I understand you're mad bro. I'd be mad, too.

Buddy,, I'm, going, to, need, you, to, step back because they're working on her. Let Let them work.

Stop, yelling, at, him., Stop, freaking, out. Just let us do our job. Okay. Frankie stomps off, deciding it's time to make that dreaded phone call to his dad. Meanwhile, EMS still hasn't arrived. So two of the officers start giving Amber CPR.

So, keep your arm straight and use your body weight. Don't wear yourself out too fast. Come on, Amber. Wonderful. See if you can get everybody's information and just start taking statements. I mean, I know it's fresh and everything

but, at least, identify, everybody,, please. Officers, begin, asking, around, who, owns the house. It isn't Amber's family's property. Within a few minutes, they confirm it belongs to 39-year-old William Brown, an employee of the TA County Jail. As far as anyone knows, William is still at work or on his way home. He definitely isn't here yet. His son 14-year-old Pfiio Brown, was hanging out with his three friends at the house when all of this went down. There were no adults around. But 14 is an age where a lot of parents feel comfortable leaving their kids at home alone.

None of that changes what's happening in front of them. Amber is slipping away and precious time is running out. Paramedics have still not arrived. I can't. There's no other hold. Nothing.

[panting] While, one, deputy, does, CPR,, another gently tilts Amber's head from side to side, looking for the bullet entry or exit wounds.

I, can't, find, anything. Right, there, in, the, eye. [ __ ], it. What, I'm, wondering, about, right, here?

Yeah. I, just, don't, want, to push. Yeah. Another, 10, minutes, go, by, and, they, take her pulse again.

They're, almost, there., There's, Come, on, Ember. Almost here. [panting] I don't feel anything anymore. [panting] Guess you got shot on the road. I don't know. I think so. Finally, they can see an ambulance pulling up.

How, long, has, CPR, been, in, progress? About, 10, minutes, now, and, it, happened, at, uh

2022., Is, that, what, we, heard? Yes. So,, we're, down, 20, minutes. Down, 20, minutes., That, means, it, took paramedics about 20 minutes to get there after the 911 call. But no one knows how long she'd already been lying there before the call. The officers who were working on saving Amber can now leave the task to the paramedics while they gather evidence from the roadway. The spot where the kids said everything happened. The fact that that gate was closed makes me think it was it happened over here somewhere. And if they were shooting out the driver's side while going this way looks, like, possibly, a little, blood, right here. I'm not sure if that's boiler or blood, but they said she wasn't bleeding when she was shot. There's no way some blood could come out.

Kiana, is, the, only, one, around, now. Frankie has run off to talk to his dad on the phone. Perfio is missing in action, and none of the parents are on the scene yet. Despite the terrible timing, all of this is about to change. As deputies walk back to the spot where Amber's body is now covered with a sheet, they hear the news.

Go, ahead, and, downgrade, to, code, one, unit on scene. Go ahead and downgrade to

Okay, so, we, got, to, shut, it, shut, down., Clear the scene. Let's, get, some, tape, and

start, taping, everything, off. Tape, everything, off., Put, the, unit, in, the road. I want to block off whatever we can. At the worst possible moment Frankie and Amber's grandma pulls up in her red sedan. Their dad is in the front seat.

You, have, the, father, walking, in, now., Uh, he's got carpenter knee pads on and blue t-shirt and a baseball cap.

Turn, the, camera. Well,, I'm, trying, to, block, everything, off from right here. So, I need you to kind of go back, please.

How, am, I, supposed, to, turn, around? I'm, sorry., I'm, not, Hi,, sir. I, understand,, sir., Can, you, talk, to, me for just a couple minutes?

Um,, the, EMS, just, pronounced, her deceased. Oh, my, [ __ ], god,, man. She's, gone.

What? She's, gone. Can, I, please, go, see? And, just, like, that,, the, worst, thing imaginable is no longer a possibility. Instead it's reality.

It's, July, 28th,, 2023, in, the, rural, town of Qua, New Mexico. 13-year-old Amber Archeletta has just been pronounced dead outside of her friend's house. She's been shot in the face. Three other kids were there when it happened. Her brother Frankie, her girlfriend Kiana and her friend Pfiio. They were all childhood friends, rural neighbors, you could say. They all lived within walking distance of each other's houses, and hangouts like today weren't abnormal. The kids tell police they all saw someone in a black SUV drive up and shoot Amber while they were all walking together near the road. This is Perfio Brown's house, and his dad, William works for Ta County Jail.

Talking to him is critical. His dogs are trampling all over the scene and one of them has already bitten two people. Not only that, but the layout of the property is set up so that herds of sheep block access to other fenced areas. Detectives need access to the whole property and they need William to corral the animals. And there he is finally. He's standing at the front of the house, his cell phone placed to his ear. Pfiio is standing just a few feet away. Portillio, can you get the dog in the house, please?

Okay., Well,, can, we, put, the, dog, that won't be biting people? I, told, you, I'd, get, to, it, in, a, minute.

I, understand,, dude,, but, we, need, this. I, told, you., You're, not, going, to, tell, me what to do in my property.

I, understand, that, that, you're, upset, and everything, but we have to get the dog off the property.

We're, going to, have, we're, going, to, have about 15 police officers here in about in about 5 minutes. And if your dog's not, off, the, property,, it's, going to, be, a problem. Dude, can you please get the dog in the

All, right,, bro. They're going to be walking all through this area and they're going to be getting bit by your dog over and over again if you don't get it off the property.

William, Brown,, like, we, said, earlier, works for the Tal County Jail. So, he's no stranger to hierarchies of authority. But now, his property is the subject of an investigation. And somehow he easily slips into the role of someone who's had more run-ins with the law than moments working alongside them. What happens next isn't going to make him any more cooperative.

You, just, said, come, here. Oh., To, me, now, you Yes, he is. Yeah., Step, by, the, way.

Just, let, me, talk, to, him., Just, let, me talk to him. Just, let, him, talk, to, him.

HEY,, COME, ON,, DUDE. HEY,, WAIT,, GUYS., GUYS,, just, let, me, talk to him. Okay,, let, me, talk, to, him.

Just, let, me, calm, him, down., I'll, help I'll let me help you get him up. Where's, going, to, be?, He, doesn't, have anything. Just make sure policy and procedure. Okay. You want to stand up?

I'm, going, to, grab, your, other, shoe., All right. You, got, to, calm, down., You, got, to, calm down.

You, were, swinging,, bud. He, wasn't, even, on, it. You, walking, this, way. Where, are, you, taking, him?

To, a, unit. A, unit, is, just,, a, patrol, car, to be clear. But William doesn't care. Seeing his boy in handcuffs is all he needs to go into full-blown Papa Bear mode. We haven't even seen half of it yet.

For, what?, That's, what, I'm, asking. I think it's pretty obvious. Well,, that, But, what?, He, didn't, do nothing.

Yes,, he's, being, detained., I, didn't, see him. He's, being, detained, with, us., That's That's it.

He's, going, to, be, in, the, end, of, it., Okay. He's not, leaving, the, road.

He's, just, going, to, sit, here. You, guys, can't, bring, him, to, the, house, the unit to the house

cuz, it's, a, crime, scene., I, can't, I, can't let anyone in it. So,, that's, the, other, thing., What?, How long is this going to take?

As, long, as, it, takes., I I can't give you an answer cuz I, know,, but, what, do, you, how, long, is, this going to, take?, Cuz, you, know,, we all just got to hold on to.

Okay. We, don't, have, another, place, to, go. I, mean,, I, You, appreciate, that, there's, a dead girl on your porch, right?

Yeah. I, don't, have, an, option, either. As, they, walk, back, towards, the, house, William starts to yell at Porefio not to talk to cops. Interesting timing. He also yells at the officer escorting him telling him not to talk to his son. Never mind that he hasn't been mirandized yet. Big daddy William Brown is on the case acting like Pfiio's standin attorney. If the attorney was Saul Goodman, that is.

Then, he, started, running., He, wasn't, going to run. He started running. There's, no, way, trying, to, load, up, and swing on us.

Really?, A, little, kid? Yeah,, right., Really?, Kid sucks man. Don't, screw, up, with, him.

Stop., Stop., I'm, not, just, cussing, up, to Well,, he's, telling, my, attitude, stuff.

Well,, don't, shut, up. But, what, do, you, expect? You, have, a, dead, girl, on, your, like, you don't understand the severity of this.

I, do. Go, that, way. I've, been, trying, to, cooperate, with, the cops. Hold, on., Hold, on.

Well,, they're, taking, him., He, said, I could walk with you guys. You, need, to, calm, down.

I, am., You're, on., I, wasn't, even, talking to them. And, I, just, told, him, to, leave, so, he didn't aggravate you anymore. But you can't keep doing this cuz then I'll put you in cuffs and I don't want to do that. You've done nothing wrong.

Well,, let's, walk, over, there, cuz, they're still talking to him. It, doesn't, matter., Once, they, get, Pfiio in the back of the squad car and away from the adults, the state police, who have been on the scene for a while, have to explain everything to William and his girlfriend Ashley. Well, as much as they can.

You, would, you, be, uh, okay, to, give, us, a statement? I, wasn't, even, home.

Okay., So,, you, just, got, here, just, now, or did you just get here after the flight?

Yeah, I, was, at, work, when, he, when, my, son, called me about it happening. Did, your, son, tell, you, anything?, Anything like that?

He, just, said, that, there, was, a, girl, that was shot and he didn't know what to do.

Did, he, say, who, shot, the, girl? I'm, trying, to, get, to, your, house. You, can't, go., Ashley,, you, can't, go there. Did he say who shot the girl?

He, said, a, black, SUV. No,, I'm, trying, to, get, to, my, family. black SUV. Yeah,

that's, all, he, said. I, Well,, he, referred, to, it, as, he, said, it was a black SUV is all he said. He was told we I don't know was it a Yukon? I can't remember cuz we referred to it as another girl's car. Delila's her name that her family drives that car. But it wasn't that vehicle. It's just the way we because that's what he told me. He said it was a car that looked like Delila's.

And, did, it, look, like, Delila's? Yeah., Look, at, that's, another, girl, that lives in town. She has nothing but it's What's Delila's car? Her mom's. It's a you an older one.

But, did, you, see, who, shot, him, or, No, no,, he, never, said, he, just, told, me, the vehicle.

He, didn't, tell, you, who, it, was and, I, he, told, me, that, that, happened., I was at work and I just left and then everything else was done with Quest PD there. So there was nothing else they told me other than you know we we've been cooperating the whole time till now.

Appreciate, it., cuz, this, guy, asked, us, to take off his pants and stuff and

we, put, him, in, a, bag, there, on, the, counter for you. He was basically watching to the window.

Yeah,, he's, actually, insinuating, that, one of the officers was creeping through the window enjoying the view of Pfurio removing his bloody pants and putting them in an evidence bag. Also, ain't it weird that the guy who keeps asking the same questions over and over again, just like his son, by the way. Questions which have been answered, mind you, was content with his son only giving him vague details about the dead girl on his property. Weird, right?

Um,, so, Mr., Brown,, this, is, who, I, am., I'm Jeff Fal. I'm with New Mexico State Police. I'm the case agent for this case. Okay. I know you said that your son um had already spoken to a lawyer. So then we'll get a hold to him and and see what he wants to do. Um

I, all, I, can, tell, you, is, that, this, is, all brand new to to us. We just showed up. I understand your frustrations, but let us do our jobs. Um I can promise you all I'm here for is the truth.

Then, what's, going, to, happen, to, him? So, right, right, this, second, he's, just being detained. I'm going to get a hold of Mr. Gower.

So, why, is, he, being, detained?, I, mean obviously because, of, pre, preliminary, information. preliminary information that we've received has given us the right to detain him for right now. I can't I can't there's a lot of there's a lot of stuff that I can't tell you. I'll tell you as much as I can. I'll be as straight up with you as I as I can, but there's just information that I don't share

and, that, just, just, to, protect, the integrity of the investigation. I'm the case agent. The buck stops with me. Okay? So, if you have any questions, by all means, call me. But right now, we just have a lot a lot of other stuff to do. That's all preliminary. So, we don't have a lot of information either. But the the initial stuff that we do have gives us the right to detain your son.

William, has, already, noticed, something strange though. His son Porfio seems to be the odd one out in his group of friends.

And, when, are, the, other, ones, going, to, be picked up? As, as, soon, as, I, get, as, soon, as, I, get, to that point. Bottom line, I I can't give you a time frame.

Okay. Do, you, know, where, they're, at? Okay., Let, them, leave., I, have, no, idea.

Okay. Um Ashley,, don't, say, anything, to, nobody. I'm, the So,, I'm, not, saying, anything, to, anybody. The attorney's already said

I, just, want, to, explain, something, to, her. Okay. I'm just You, can, listen,, but, you, don't, speak until the attorney speaks.

I'm, not, going, to, ask, her, any, questions. I'm, just, tell, Mr., Brown,, I, understand your frustration, but let us work.

Well,, yeah., I'm, not, saying, I, just, and, I and I appreciate that, but that's that's where we're at. Okay.

If, this, family, of, Karens, is, so insufferable with a dead girl on their porch, can you imagine what the local Walmart supervisor has had to put up with over the years? Everything happened so fast, just like the shooting. But before police gave William this vague explanation, they'd already spoken to Frankie and Kiana. While the kids waited to give their official statements, one officer happened to be standing near a car. The door was open. Kiana was talking to her mom and what she said to her changed everything.

This is going to be a little bit hard to hear, but we're going to play it anyway. everything around sitting in this kitchen listening to music and you think and that's when people said what and it starts pointing it and as a reaction

as, a, reaction, I, go, like, try, to, move their heads and [ __ ] and she did that and rest her

and, look, I, see, a, little, flash, that's great and, the, [ __ ], dumbass, operators, being so stupid of course I'm be [ __ ] freaking out

and, she's, going to shut the [ __ ] up. Shut up. Just [ __ ] listen the hardest you can. I don't, know what, to, [ __ ], tell, you., And then she tries to tell me, "Do you have any form of ID?" [ __ ] I'm [ __ ] 14. If I tell you I'm I was born in 2009 the [ __ ] does that mean? Hello.

This, dumb, bitch's, friend, just, murdered someone, but she's mad at 911 instead. Yeah, there's a lot of that going around. Anyway, in the beginning of this clip, if you listen real close, you can hear what she told her mom. She said everything was perfectly fine. We were all sitting in his kitchen listening to music. And that's when he pulls out the gun and starts pointing it. Will you look at that? Turns out New Mexico State Police had a really good reason to detain Perfio Brown. Okay. So, go ahead and tell me what exactly what happened from um from the moment before she was shot. Okay.

What were you guys doing before she was shot? We were all chilling, having a good old time, and we just like went to the backyard and like we're done dicing his goats and [ __ ] And we ended up going to the front and we ended up going back into his house and then next thing you know, he pulls out um I think it's a revolver, the one that has like a spinning barrel.

Okay. He, pulls, out, one, of, those. It, was, a, handgun. Yeah., And, he, pulls, that, out.

So,, just, to, just, to, get, us, straight,, you guys are you guys are in the back of the house, right? You're hanging out playing with us.

At, first,, we, were, perfectly, fine., just chilling, nothing wrong. And, then, we, ended, up, going, inside and then that that's the when he pulls out that gun and I was like, "Dog, don't even do be doing that cuz I could be loading." He was also and then he ends up pointing it at her and she went to and she went to go like like take it away from her face, right? All of a sudden, you just hear a boom. I look and I see her fall to the ground. So he shot her in the face with with the handgun. [snorts]

Yeah. Where, where where, were, you, guys, when, he shot her with the handgun? Um, I, think, uh, the, kitchen. [clears throat]

You, guys, were, inside, the, house, when, it happened? Yeah. Were, they, joking, around?, Was, he, mad, at her? What was the reason for [clears throat], him, to, pull, the, gun, out?

I, don't, know., Everything, was, perfectly fine. Everyone was joking, laughing.

And, he, he, pulls, it, out., I, don't, even know where he got it from. And then he he he goes he goes like cuz like how it was is there's a table against the wall and like I was standing against the window and she was like standing right there, in, the middle

and, he, points, it, at, her, and, so, she, like went to go move it. Mhm. And, that's, when, you, just, hear, the, loud bang and a little bit of light

and, then, she, drops and, next, thing, you, know, she, just, starts to bleed. Okay., But, next, thing, you, know, when when she does fall, we all look

and, then, that, wants, to, freak, out, and he's like, "Well, let's take her to the back." And Frank is all like, "Well call 911." And I was like panicking. So it took me a minute to get my phone out of my pocket and just to dial in general.

Okay. And, finally,, we, were, able, to, get, her, out and then me and Frankie were standing out, there, with, [clears throat], her, while Porf went somewhere. I don't know where.

He, just, took, out, to, back, into, the, house. Yeah, I think so. I'm not sure.

Guys,, guys,, guys,, before, you, get outraged, remember, it's the gun's fault. The inanimate object murdered this girl, not the ignorant brown kid growing up in gangster culture. With the approval of his ignorant brown gun-owning parents who weren't even home at the time, remember to assign your blame in a proper woke fashion everyone. Good. Now that all the idiots have left and stopped listening, let's continue. While all this was happening a detective pulls out his radio and quietly cancels the bolo alert.

Hey,, what's, going, on? Hey,, can, you, do, me, a, favor, and, cancel that bolo for that uh black SUV?

Yeah,, we, kind, of, already, did. Okay,, perfect., Yeah. Okay., Any, other, updates, or, nothing? So, for right now, um, uh, state police is on scene. Their IV guys are out here. Their crime scene guys are out here. So um, it looks like they'll probably end up taking this one over from us.

Uhhuh. Um,, but, we, do, have,, uh,, possible, suspect in custody. Uh-huh. And, we're, going, to, be, turning, them, over to city police.

Okay., Um,, and, so,, um,, yeah,, I, don't think we have anybody, uh, any other suspects outstanding.

It, isn't, until, much, later, during, a follow-up interview that Kiana explains why she didn't tell the truth from the beginning.

So,, there, was, there, was, a, story, of, a vehicle driving by. Yeah., He, he, made, that, story, up, whenever uh he shot her and took her outside. When

how, what, did, he, tell, you about, that? He, tried, to, make, up, the, story, that, a driveby happened like right like next to that dumpster in front of his like on the road. Try to say a driveby happened right there and that her brother went to his house freaking out about it and they ended up dragging her over there. But

but, that's, not, even, close. Okay., Um,, so, was, he, telling, you, guys, to say that or

I, think, he, wanted, us, to or, he, was, just, saying, that, version., Was he on the phone at that time or something? [snorts]

Yeah,, I, think, he, was. Okay., Who, do, you, know, who, he, was, on, the phone with by chance?

It, might, have, been, one, of, his, parents. I'm not sure though. So, so he made sure that you heard him talking on the phone when he when he gave that.

Yeah,, cuz, he, walked, around, me, and, her when I was still next to her on the floor and he ended up saying like I heard him on the phone and he was it was a drive by all of a sudden some car passed by and they shot her.

Did, he, ever, ask, you, to, move, her, down anywhere? He, did, ask, us, to, help, him, pick, her, up, but no one else helped cuz that's that's [ __ ] up. And where what did he want to do?

I, don't, know, if, he, like, wanted, to, like take her outside and like hide the whole fact that he shot her.

Well,, I, mean,, it, was, talking, about, a driveby. That makes sense cuz, later, on, like, he, didn't, like, when, he was on the phone with his dad, he even told him that he didn't shoot her.

Assigning, blame, to, a, random, third, party. Weird. That's not at all what criminals do. I guess now would be a good time to play the beginning of that 911 call for you.

What's, the, location, of, your, emergency? What's, the, [ __ ], location? Hello.

Oh, my, shot. I, give, me, the, address. Please give, me, THE, ADDRESS. WHAT'S, THE, ADDRESS?

GUYS,, YOU'RE, YELLING, AND, I, can't understand. Thank you. [ __ ], hurry. What, happened?

My, girlfriend, got, shot. Your, girlfriend? Yes. Where did she get shot? In, her, nose., By, her, nose., Brushing.

Okay. Okay., What's, your, What's, your, name? My, name, is, K. Okay., [clears throat]

Amber. Is she alert? Huh? Is, your, girlfriend, alert? Oh,, she's, [ __ ], unconscious, right, now. Please [ __ ] hurry. Okay, we're going to get somebody out there right now. Stay on the line with me. Don't hang up.

Please don't, hang, up. We're, getting, somebody, out, there,, but don't hang up on me. Okay.

Please., No., Come, on. Hello. Just, keep, her, comfortable., Okay. Oh,, I, think, I, don't, know if, she, I, don't know how my voice

sir. Yeah. Is, she, still, unconscious? She's, breathing., Stop. Sir,, is, the, person, that, shot, her, still there?

Yeah., Uh,, wait., No., Uh,, they, they, drove by. It, was, a, driveby. Do, you, know, who, they, were?

No,, I, wasn't, even, really, around., I, was up in the field. Okay., Do, you, have, an, idea, of, what, kind of vehicle maybe?

No,, ma'am. Okay. I'm, not, sure,, though., I'm, uh, I'm, not sure. Yeah., Let, me, ask, you, something,, and, I want you to rub those two brain cells together real hard and see if you can come up with an answer. If you had just watched someone murder someone else would your first instinct be to cover for them? If so, kindly [ __ ] off and unsubscribe now. Now, let's hear what Frankie says when he's confronted with these inconsistencies.

At, what, time, to, tell, you, guys, about, the taking her to the road? That's when she like that's when she was actually outside. Outside.

That's, when, she, was, already, outside. Yeah. And, you, guys, had, had, called, 911, yet?

Uh I think well like right when he like kind of like drug her out to like the final spot. He kept saying he said that and I was like no. And then I called in.

Okay., you., But, you, and, Kiana, and, Porf, all three talked about a vehicle driving by

about, Amber, being, shot, from, a, vehicle that drove by. I, know., I, don't know, about, DJ,, but, I don't I don't remember seeing a vehicle.

I, know, Porf, did. I, Yeah,, he, did., I, know, he, did. So,, what, what, did, you, hear?, Like,, did, he tell you that story?

He, kept, I, kept, hearing, him, saying, like, "Help me. Help me." cuz that he was going like his dad was going to like

and, he, was, on, the, phone, when, he, was saying help me. No. Or, who, is, he, talking, to

to, like, trying, to, tell, us, to, like, help him? Okay. All, right., And, what, did, Porf, do, with, the gun?

I, have, no, idea., That's, one, thing, I, don't know what he did with after the fact.

Do, you, know, what, Russian, roulette, is? Yeah., Okay. Was, he, playing, that?

No. That, you're, positive., I, am positive., Kids, can, be, pretty, stupid,, as evidenced by this detective's question about Russian roulette. If the false story about a driveby came from Pfiio it might seem strange that Frankie and Kiana went along with it. But these four kids were close. Frankie and Pfiio were best friends. His best friend had just shot his sister. And in that moment Frankie wasn't thinking about justice. He was thinking about damage control. He didn't know exactly what had happened but he knew one thing for sure.

It had to be an accident, didn't it? The story Frankie, Kiana, and Pfiio gave to the police has completely fallen apart. The black SUV simply didn't exist, and the real shooter is now sitting in the back of a patrol car. Pfio Brown is 14 years old and he had access, to, at least,, one, gun., For some reason, he pointed it at a 13-year-old named Amber Archeletta in the face and pulled the trigger.

And, they're, 14, years, old, at, that. All, of, them, know, they're, all, classmates. All of them. All of them.

Well,, that, was, my, my, daughter's girlfriend. She, had, to, have, that, happen.

That's, These, were, classmates., They, lived in the same neighborhood. They were childhood friends. Porfio's father worked for the Tal County Jail. In the past, he was even a guide for the hunter's safety course. The family should have known gun safety like the back of their hand. Should have been second nature to them because in many ways it was their job. So when he pointed it at her um about how far away was he? About

probably, about, like, this. So, did, she, approach, him, to, get, the, holes for the gun or

Well,, she, was, like, this, and, I, don't, know if they went closer or what. Then like they started struggling like this and then like in time they start

up, here, or, up, here. Yes. And, what, was, he, doing, with, the, other guns? You said he

I'm, not, sure, if, he, was, just, pulling, him out to show him off to see if he was cool or what, but he just pulled him out and he didn't do nothing with him, but then he ended up doing I think he put him on the counter or something. I don't even know cuz I thought like generally he was a really chill guy. Like we always used to hang out and [ __ ] Chill have a good time. He was like always the homie.

Yeah. Never, really, thought, anything, bad, about him. Thought he'd do anything bad. Like I always knew like he always like liked to like beat people up if they like disrespect him or whatever, but I didn't.

So he, liked, to, fight. Yeah., But, I, didn't I, grew, up, in, Esp., It's, not, that, big, of, a deal.

But, I, didn't, think, he'd, ever, like, pull, a gun out on someone like actually like shoot them.

And, he, never, and, he, was, never, mad, about anything. Everyone, was, laughing,, having, a, good time.

Everybody, was, just, having, a, good, time. Do you feel like he meant to do this? I don't know because if I think about it he didn't seem mad or anything, but then why would he have his finger on the trigger and just do that? So, I don't really, [clears throat], know.

Did, he, ever, Do, you, ever, know, of, him, to pull guns out on somebody else on other people?

I've, heard, about, it,, but, I, wasn't, sure if it was true. You've, heard, about, it,, but, you've, never seen it?

Yeah. Was, he, is, he, known, to, carry, a, gun? I'm, not, sure, about, like, all, the, time. But sometimes, yeah

sometimes, like, what, kind, of, gun?, Well, even before whenever like everything happened when we were chilling in the car, he pulls out like maybe a Glock. I don't know, but it was like mini handgun, black and then he also had I think a rifle in the car. But

And, do, you, know, does, he, hunt, stuff, like that? I, think, he, does. Yeah,, he, does., He, talk, about, that, a, lot.

Yeah,, sometimes. Has, he, ever, talked, about, hurting, anybody else? Like shooting anybody else? I mean, well, you talk about beating people's butt ass before, but other than that, not like gun violence.

What, 14year-old, needs, to, be, carrying around a pistol? And why didn't anyone teach them the rule that every gun owner knows? You never point a gun at a target that you don't intend to shoot

you, know., know,, and, I'm, I'm, really, upset because he's uh you know, I know him. You know, I I know him and the wife and everything and and uh you know, I I never knew that he was a guide, but you would think he would have known better being a guide in the hunter safety horses and stuff like that.

Got, several, guns, in, that, house., I'm, sure you've seen a lot of guns in that house.

Like, lots, of, guns. They're, just, a, patriotic,, gun-loving family, right? But after the shot was fired and Amber collapsed, Pfario didn't run for help. He didn't call 911. He started cleaning up and staging the scene.

And, like, he, just, had, her, by, her, arms, and no one was helping him. And he just started dragging her.

What, do, you, mean, he, wanted, you, guys, to help? Did he say something? Whenever, he, first, grabbed, her, under, her arms, he was all, "Help me. Help me." We just looked at him. We I guess maybe still in shock or something cuz no one helped him. And then so he he takes her to the porch

or, did, he, take, her, all, the, way, to, where she was? He, took, her, he, stopped, her, at, the, porch. That's why there was some blood there.

Right. And, then, he, drove, her, off, to, there and, he, got, on, the, phone, right, away.

And, and, I, know, this, is, tough,, but, um, do you remember a lot of blood being in the house? Like you said, he cleaned up. I'm not sure how much, but it's probably a decent bit. And you could tell that he cleaned because there was a mop bucket and there wasn't like there was like a little streak of blood next to the mop bucket, but you could tell he tried to hide something. But one thing is whenever I did end up going back to talk, whenever they moved me from the cop car, it did seem like he changed his clothes.

Okay., So,, a, second, ago, you, said, you didn't know if he hid or did something with the guns.

Yeah. Like, multiple, guns. Yeah. So,, what, do, you, mean, by, multiple, guns?

Cuz, even, at, first, before, everything happened, he even pulled out like an AK and or it seemed like an AK. It looked like it and then some sort of other gun. I don't know my guns, but it was like about I would say maybe about this, maybe a little bit bigger. It was camouflage and they were full rounds. like the clip was full,, but, I, don't, know if, there, was, one in the chamber. He ended up putting those away and then that's when he he pulls out the revolver.

Did, he, threaten, you, guys, at, all? Were, you, scared, of, him in, that, point, of, moment?, I, didn't, know what could have happened. Like he he probably could have if he really wanted to. Like

that's, the, question,, isn't, it?, Did, he really want to hurt Amber or was he just a dumb kid trying to look cool in front of his friends? Here's Frankie again.

Do, you, know, PF, to, carry, a, gun? Uh,, sometimes. I, mean,, besides, a, rifle.

Uh,, once, in, a, while. Once, in, a, while. You, know,, it's, coming, out, a, lot, that he's actually been pointing that gun at a lot of other kids in the community.

And, I'm, curious, about, that, as, well. And, you, know,, some, other, people, said that only the kids knew, but last weekend at the farmers market there, you know, there's a little program for the kids to work there, but I guess it only went around the kids. Well, he had the gun in his thing the whole time here at the farmers market, but nobody knew except uh

Have, you, seen, him, point, a, gun, at somebody else? Oh,, are, you, sure?, And, be, honest, with you.

I've, not, seen. Okay. This, is, all, starting, to, paint, a, clear picture. None of the adults knew it at the time, but Porfio had apparently brought a gun to work at the local farmers market. He'd been known to show off his guns, pull them out, and even point them at other kids, and now a girl was dead. The escalation couldn't have been more obvious to anyone that was paying attention, that is.

Um,, but, as, as, far, as, evidence,, I, feel very strong for our case. I, can't, tell, you, exactly, what, he'll, be charged. I mean

I, can, tell, you, exactly, what, he's, been charged with. He's, It's, called, an, open, counter, murder. Um, that is a, you know, that's kind of an all-encompassing charge.

Now,, Porfio, has, to, face, the, full, weight of the law. His dad might see him as just a kid, but when you kill someone the law doesn't always agree. Oh, and the dead girl and the dead girl's family don't care how old he is. The word of the day on Sword and Scale here is irrelevant. Say it with me. I reant. William Brown was focused on his son's legal battle. What he didn't know was that he was about to become the first person charged under the new state statute. By the end of the day, both father and son would be in handcuffs.

The law is called Benny's Law, and it took effect in June of 2023 less than a month before Amber's murder. It's been nearly 2 years since tragedy hit Washington Middle School in Albuquerque and just rippled throughout our community. What should have been a harmless schoolyard argument turned deadly when 13-year-old Benny Hargrove was shot and killed by a classmate. Witnesses say Benny was just standing up to a bully. And police say that teen was able to bring the gun to school because it wasn't stored properly at home. This year, state lawmakers passed the Benny Hargrove bill in an effort to prevent another similar tragedy. And today that new law officially is going into effect.

Democratic, Representative, Pamela Hearnden spearheaded this bill as one of the sponsors.

What, we, are, expecting, as, a, result, of, any Hardgrow bill going into place is that uh parents or adults who have responsibility for firearms will absolutely restore those will store them safely so that children are minors do not have access to them at all.

House, Bill, 9, acts, as, a, gun, safety, bill. If a kid gets a hold of their parent or guardian's gun and commits a crime, that caretaker can be charged with a misdemeanor.

The, purpose, was, not, necessarily, to punish uh adults, but the purpose was to make sure that they are thinking about what they're doing. Gun fanatics, and by gun fanatics, I mean those nutty Democrats that want to take away everyone's constitutional right to self-defense, will never admit that conservative gun right activists are more critical on gun safety than anyone else. If you have a kid, especially a teenage boy, and you're not locking up your guns properly, then you deserve everything that's coming to you. Unless William had his eyes glued to the news he probably had no idea that unsecured firearms could now land him in jail. You see, he wasn't paying attention. But whether he knew it or not, William Brown had just become a test case. And the thing is, the guns were all over his house. Big Macho Grande

in, that, one. There's, probably, like, seven, or, eight, in that one, too. I, need, to, do, second, day., Everyone, good?

We're, good. We're, good, with, this. All, right,, man., So,, I, have, here, a, return of inventory. I'll have you signed. Um we have just we secured a bunch of firearms. Okay. We didn't take any firearms, but we secured a bunch of firearms cuz there was a bunch just laying around. And with that new law in place, they can't just be like, I guess unsecured,

loaded,, unlocked,, and, accessible., As, you just heard, there weren't just one or two guns lying around. Deputies found at least seven firearms in a single bedroom. When they locate William Brown to explain the situation, he stands stiff, his arms crossed, wearing the blank defiant stare of a toddler who knows they're in trouble, but doesn't think it's fair.

So,, here's, the, thing,, okay?, I, need, you to understand that we're just we're doing our jobs. We're going to do our jobs best of our ability. We've got information um about what all took place. And as far as a black SUV, it's not that's that's not in. Okay. Does that make sense?

If, you're, saying, I, don't, I, can't, tell you cuz I was at one. Okay., And, I, get, that., But, um, another thing that you need to understand is there's a lot of guns in that house right?

And, none, of, them, are, secured. Uh, most, of, them, are, secure., I, have, a, few that are out.

You, have, a, few, that, are, out., Okay., with that with that right there. Have your hands put your hands behind your back.

Point, one, is, an, Indian, making, a, firearm accessible to a minor uh resulting in rap harm or death.

So yes, we so that's, that, we, we, have, enough, problems to to uh to actually uh believe that it was under that statute.

Yeah., that, it, it, was, it, was, a, new, bunch. The, bottom, line, is, that, it, was, normal for the Brown family to give their kids unfettered and unsupervised access to deadly weapons. It was your firearm. That line hits hard. But was William thinking about the girl his son killed? Or was he already thinking about how to protect himself and his son Pfiio? Before the ink could dry on his charging documents, William started spinning his own version of events. One where he was the victim, not the dead girl, him. Within minutes of his arrest, the whole group was on speakerphone with his employer at the TA County Jail.

Hey,, I, don't, know, what, you, call, Danny and see. They're uh arresting me because there was a shooting at my house and they're saying

yeah, for, negligent, of, I, had, a, firearm unsecure. I'm, a, [ __ ] I, don't, know., The, state, police, have, me in cuffs already. So that he's holding the phone now and I'm just calling you to They said maybe if I see a judge if you can call the judges maybe I can get out tonight.

Oh,, okay., So, what, are, his, charges, then? So, as like he like he explained, his he had a weapon that was not secured. His son

um, had, access, to, that, weapon, and, a 14-year-old girl was shot and killed.

Um, so, on, the, Hold, on,, I'm While, he, [snorts], waited, for, his, first court appearance, something must have gotten lost in communication because TA County had placed him on leave. but he showed up to work anyway. During the time he was there, he had a lot to say about his case.

We, were, still, getting, the, the, letter., I was trying to find a way to put him on administrative leave without pay. I don't want him sitting out there. We're doing in our own uh internal investigation for policy violations. We're uh procuring Universal to do the investigation. I don't know who's been assigned yet, but we're going to look at our own policy

right, violations, and, I'm, going, to, outside, of what you guys are doing. Um and then the other thing that just struck me and so I just told Jason is we may you may have to interview the shift this morning cuz I don't know what was relayed to the other folks on duty because of the miscommunication he had yesterday. He showed up to work this morning and then they pulled him aside and had him sit in the office when Jason handed him the letter that he was on paid administrative leave is when they mentioned anyways I'm going to I'm going to be back to work next week because there's no gun. They're going to drop all the charges and I'll be back to work. And then when HR conveyed to him hey, this isn't about your case. This is about policy infractions. He was like oh.

And um but I was thinking about it now. He disclosed that the NRA is going to pay for his uh legal defense and he's not worried about it. And I thought to me, you you need to hold your cards close. And I just these little things. I know they're not lengthy conversations but it's just I just thought

interesting. Just, interesting., Yeah. Okay., William, didn't, seem, to, be, worried at all. He was convinced for some reason that they'd never find the gun, that the NRA would foot the bill for his defense and that he'd be free of this whole inconvenient ordeal sooner rather than later. William Brown would be the first person in New Mexico tried under Benny's law. This added a political layer to the case. Even so, he was sure he'd walk. that it's not about a firearm. It's not about any firearm. It's about the firearm used in the killing of Miss Amber Archeletta.

Brown, testified, in, his, own, defense today, claiming none of his guns were missing after the deadly shooting. Prosecutors tried to poke holes in Brown's testimony by showing him a picture of a gun that was in his home that he didn't testify about. They reiterated investigators found unsecured guns around his home.

What, do, we, know?, Well,, we, do, know, that we had a house. It was the Brown residence owned by the Browns. Um, and that the guns in there belong to Mr. Brown. So, we've got photos of the house and of the weapons and how they were secured.

Jurors,, took, just, two, hours, to deliberate the first of its kind case. We the jury find the defendant William Brown not guilty of negligently making a firearm accessible to a minor as charged in count one of the grand jury indictment or criminal information. William walked out of the courtroom a free man. A real travesty of justice if you ask me. But sometimes juries are full of idiots. So is Earth. So it tracks. Had he been found guilty he would have been facing up to 18 months in prison. which still seems to me a bit of a walk in the park for something so serious. For Amber Archeletta's family it felt like a second blow. The man who owned the gun, who should have known better than to leave it available for his teenager to use, to flash around and brag about, had walked away, a free man.

But William wasn't the only one they wanted held accountable. William's son Pfario, the boy who pulled the trigger was still facing murder charges

but, I, know, the, DA's, office, is, going, to try and have him charged as an adult.

I, I, would, note, that., That's But, that's, there's, no, guarantee, because I understand that, but uh

I, would, truly, want, him, charged, as, an adult just for the fact that he absolutely

he, tried, covering, it, up, and, he, drug, her out and threw her off that porch like a dog. Absolutely. So I definitely want him to be punished to the

police, and, I'm, doing, everything, I, can. You, know,, at, first, I, was, on, on, the, fence about it because they were friends, you know, that she was there because she trusted him and uh but after him what I seen her in, you know, in the condition I want him is to, you know, to the fullest extent.

Pfario's, first, trial, began, in, February of 2024, just a few months before his father's not guilty verdict. Porfio was 15 by this point and was charged as a youthful offender. It sounds counterintuitive but this meant that he could be tried and sentenced as an adult. At trial, he faced charges of seconddegree murder tampering with evidence, and attempted assault of a peace officer.

Pfiio, Brown., He, went, on, trial, for seconddegree murder last week, but jurors couldn't make a unanimous decision. I think there was a lot of emotion from myself, my client. It's just you put in so much effort for these trials. You really believe in your your defense. When a jury can't come to a conclusion, can feel a little invalidating almost.

Bunker, says, the, jury, had, questions, about several pieces of evidence. First, the initial 911 call. The story has been that my kid wanted to create this driveby story, but if you listen to the evidence on the 911 call, it's actually the brother who first tells 911 that his sister was shot in a driveby.

We'll, let, you, decide, the, likelihood, of Frankie coming up with a story on his own versus the story coming from Perfio who didn't even think to call 911 and was instead busy cleaning up what he had done. Bunker says jurors also asked about a hug between the brother and Brown.

On, body, camera,, while, the, girl, is, laying there dying, the brother actually comes up to my client and gives my client a huge hug. And so to me, that was very inconsistent because why are you hugging my client if he just shot your sister?

Blood, on, the, brother's, arms, also, came into question. He, has, perfect, circular, spots, of, blood on his arm. He's got blood on the back of his elbow. Um he has a watch on and then he goes home. So he and the other juvenile witness, they leave the scene and they're together at another location for over an hour.

Eight, jurors, found, Brown, not, guilty. Four thought he was guilty. But Bunker says they all agreed on one thing.

Even, the, four, that, thought, he, was, guilty said that they thought this was an accident. And so what they're trying to charge him with is intentional murder. And all the jurors unanimously agreed that whoever the shooter was, this was an accident. District Attorney Marcus Mononttoya says it's likely his office will retry the case.

Guns, and, and, gun, violence, and, gun control are very serious issues and uh this, [snorts and clears throat], was unnecessary and very traumatic loss of of a young life and we can never say that often enough or loud enough.

Mononttoya, might, also, have, a, personnel issue to address connected to the case. Bunker says the lead prosecutor wasn't there for closing arguments.

We, were, told, she, went, to, the, hospital. Uh the judge indicated he may have smelled alcohol on her breath. Um so not entirely sure what happened there.

There, may, be, rumors, about, that., Uh nothing certainly that I can verify and even if you know we conduct an investigation to find that anything like that was a potentiality uh that would be an internal and personnel issue for me to deal with.

Bunger, what, an, unfortunate, name., Then again who am I to judge? bedet. Anyway, rather than face a second trial Porfio accepted a plea deal in August of 2024. He pleaded guilty to one single count of tampering with evidence. In exchange for accepting the deal, the remaining charges, including seconddegree murder, were dropped. He was expected to serve a year of probation. And by the time this episode airs, his punishment will be over. His victim will still be dead. In the end the courtroom decisions can't change what happened.

Amber Archeletta is gone forever. She, was, outgoing., She, she, had, no, fear. If there was a hill, she'd climb it. You know, her and her brother, you know riding their bike. She was the one popping the wheelies and and ramping and and stuff like that. I just want them to remember her for the sweet little thing that she was. You know, she uh like I say, she touched a lot of people and uh I just want them to have those good memories of her.

Amber, took, her, last, breaths, in, the, dry New Mexico dirt that afternoon. She was only 13 years old, full of creativity making her way through adolescence and surrounded by kids who were supposed to be her friends. This story isn't about a teenager making a horrible mistake. It's about the environment that allowed it to happen. Adults who never want to take accountability and leave weapons out within reach. Laws that arrive too late. And a culture that trusts children around firearms more than the car keys or voting ballots. Oh, and also really [ __ ] dumb juries because who the hell wants to get out of work to go do that [ __ ] Especially if you have a good job and like it. Imagine that. extent.

Well,, we're, all, taught in, rural, areas, like, this,, gun, safety. Mhm., Yeah., That's

we, all, know, gun, safety. Yeah. And, that's, part, of, our, our,, you, know, our that's how we're brought up.

That's, how, Yeah. I, I, grew, up, in, Espanola, and, Chimita, and it was no different.

It's, a, little, Yeah. You, know,, I I, I, knew, how, to, handle, a, gun, from, an early age

and, I, knew, that, you, don't, point, a gun at something that you're not willing to shoot.

Exactly., But, knowing, the, rules,, doesn't mean everyone follows them. You see being an adult, not to mention being a parent, requires that you get off your ass and actually do things that are inconvenient from time to time, like oh, I don't know, getting a gun safe actually using it, and actually teaching your dumb kids about gun safety and about what not to do with a deadly weapon. But who has the time when you're busy yelling at the Walmart manager and asking repeatedly why the rudabagas aren't on sale? They were last week, so why aren't they this week? Are you starting to see how that works?

Well,, that, does, it, for, another, episode of What the [ __ ] Is That Guy's Problem? Anyway, or as I like to call it, Sword and Scale. Thanks for joining us. If you like the show, you can get a video version of it. We call it Sword and Scale television or just Sword and Scale really, but it's available 20 episodes of it right now at swordsandcale.com. You can get it on tier 2 or tier three of our plus subscription platform. It's a great way to support the show. Another great way to support the show is to buy a t-shirt or a baseball cap or a pair of boxer shorts or a pair of socks from our store at store.sordandscale.com.

But before I forget, before I forget this is news you want to hear. This is good news. First of all, we're going to be gone for a little bit, but then we're going to, be, back., And, then, next, year we're going to have season 3 of something we like to call Sword and Scale Nightmares.

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "Episode 324"?

Mike Boudet (Host), Frankie Archeletta (Guest), Kiana Gonzalez (Guest), William Brown (Guest), Pfiio Brown (Guest), Pamela Hearnden (Guest).

What is "Episode 324" about?

The narrative follows 15-year-old Frankie Archeletta in a frantic race to find help after his sister is critically injured during a chaotic shooting incident. Amid conflicting reports and police confusion, Frankie desperately guides law enforcement to the scene, highlighting the urgency and chaos of the situation as they attempt to locate his sister before it's too late.

What is mentioned in this Sword and Scale episode?

10 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Amber Archeletta, Pfiio Brown, William Brown, Frankie Archeletta, Kiana Gonzalez, Benny's Law. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "Episode 324"?

The episode runs 1 h 4 min; the transcript is about 10,908 words in 264 timestamped sections.

More from Sword and Scale

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated January 24, 2026.