Convicted teenage murderer turns himself in

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – A teenager who admitted to two murders and then escaped from juvenile detention sparked a manhunt last month. New video shows the surprise Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office deputies faced when Josef Toney turned himself in and told them why he ran.

Josef Toney, 19, was found sitting in the lobby of the Youth Services Center about 12 hours after escaping. Toney pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder earlier this year, related to a 2021 shooting.

The BCSO says he escaped from the juvenile prison in May after tampering with a lock on the detention center patio. While he escaped just after noon, Toney surrendered around 1:30 a.m. Deputies say Toney asked if he did the right thing, to which they responded, “I mean, you didn't make a smart decision at the beginning, but you made a good one at the end , My brother.”

Upon arrival at MDC, body camera video shows how shocked the officers were that Toney returned to the detention center alone and why he initially escaped, saying Toney said he “wanted to spend a day under the sun.

Deputies also explained why the 19-year-old convict was being held at the Youth Services Center instead of the MDC. A deputy can be heard saying Toney was allegedly the victim of bullying at the Metropolitan Detention Center.

While serving time for murder, Toney also faces escape charges. He is expected to appear before a judge on Monday, where he will be arraigned on the new escape charge.