Life Sentence for Man Who Shot Albuquerque Business Owner 18 Times
An Albuquerque man will spend the rest of his life behind bars for the “brutal” killing of a local business owner during a 2022 robbery.
Juan Carlos Hernandez, 22, was sentenced this week to life in prison plus 21 years for the murder of 45-year-old Sihui Fang, the owner of Wonderful Massage in northeast Albuquerque. A Bernalillo County jury found him guilty in August 2024 of first-degree murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, and conspiracy.
The January 24, 2022, killing was caught on surveillance video, showing Hernandez entering Fang’s business posing as a customer. Once inside, he forced her to allow his 18-year-old accomplice, Jorge Rivera-Ramirez, into the premises. The two men then began robbing her.
According to prosecutors, Hernandez was the driving force behind the “planned” robbery and the violence that followed. “This is where the violence begins, and Mr. Hernandez never stops being violent, not once,” prosecutor Jordan Machin told the jury.
Captured on Video
Surveillance footage showed Hernandez grabbing Fang by her hair and dragging her to the back of the business, where the district attorney’s office said an “execution-style” killing took place. Fang tried to escape at one point, but Hernandez pulled her back toward him.
When Fang managed to grab a gun in an attempt to defend herself, Hernandez and Rivera-Ramirez opened fire, striking her 18 times.
Before she died, Fang reportedly fired her weapon, injuring Rivera-Ramirez. Wounded, Rivera-Ramirez called 911 for help, while Hernandez fled the scene. Fang was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
Police arrested Hernandez on February 8, 2022, booking him into the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center.
Both Attackers Sentenced to Life
Rivera-Ramirez was sentenced in April 2025 to life in prison plus 18 years for his role in the killing. Prosecutors said both men showed a clear intent to commit robbery and use lethal force against anyone who resisted.
“This was a cold-blooded, planned attack on an innocent woman who was simply running her business,” Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman said in a statement. “Justice has been served, but it will never bring back the extraordinary person that Sihui Fang was.”
Remembering Sihui Fang
Friends and family remembered Fang as a compassionate and kindhearted woman, describing her in her obituary as “a once-in-a-lifetime incredible human being.” The tribute continued:
“This beautiful, amazing person was taken from us when she was killed in a robbery at her business. The world has lost the brightest of lights, and we have lost a gentle, caring, loving soul who literally had a heart of gold. We will keep her in our hearts and will miss her forever.”
Courtroom Apology
During sentencing, Hernandez addressed the court, apologizing for his actions. “I am ashamed of my actions,” he said. “I am making the first steps as a young man, asking for your sincere forgiveness.”
Prosecutors, however, stressed that the severity of the crime — the calculated nature of the robbery, the extreme violence, and the loss of life — warranted the maximum possible sentence.
Hernandez will not be eligible for parole for decades, ensuring he will spend most, if not all, of his life in prison.
For the community, the sentencing closes a chapter on one of Albuquerque’s most shocking recent crimes, though the pain of Fang’s loss remains deeply felt.
