Serna told Chavez. Can you bring your e-cigarette on a plane? Also on Tuesday the state called DNA expert Alanna Williams, who testified that she couldn't tell who fired the gun that killed Tera Chavez because there were two sets of DNA on the gun's handle. Although he testified that someone had altered things on its hard drive, he was confident that one of the searches he uncovered had, indeed, occurred a White Pages search that turned up the home address for Aaron Jones, the lead detective investigating Teras death for the Valencia County Sheriffs Office. Its not a taboo subject at all.. Chavez said he hadnt, and Hall asked whether he knew that cellphone records showed his phone in Los Lunas on Friday Oct. 19. The jury found him not guilty. Contact Number (505) ***-**** Engage via Phone. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Isaiah Matthew Chavez, 29, of Albuquerque, New Mexico has been charged in a criminal complaint with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person under indictment. The exchange led to several objections from Serna, and eventually a full-blown shouting match between Serna and Keener. McKay and Keener admitted more than 220 exhibits into evidence, including the Glock handgun and more than 100 crime scene photographs. At one point, state District Judge George P. Eichwald gave Romero a five-minute break from the witness stand when it appeared she may not be able to continue testifying. During his career, he was a patrol officer for 9 years. This link will take you to a site over which the City of Albuquerque has no control. Read More. State District Judge George P. Eichwald instructed the two to Quit arguing back and forth like kids.. Prosecutors say Chavez used his police training to cover up the crime, refusing to touch his wife's body so his fingerprints wouldn't be found. 76 0 obj There was no solid evidence one way or the other., During the interview, the woman got emotional. The official website for the City of Albuquerque. Jurors nine women and three men received the case shortly after 5 p.m. Friday following closing arguments by defense attorney David Serna and prosecutors Anne Keener and Bryan McKay. %PDF-1.7 Jones is the one who removed the gun from next to Teras body, and he testified at trial that he noted the magazine was unseated and that a bullet was in the firing chamber. Self Service Car Washes Near Me, We can help with your case! Tera's family said he did it to. Police are asking people with legitimate tips to contact the Farmington Police Department detective's hotline at 505-599-1068 or CrimeStoppers in Farmington at 334-tips. Still -- nearly three decades later -- no arrests. Thats also where she was working on Oct. 8, 2007, the first time she met Levi Chavez, according to her testimony. That witness, Rose Slama, also testified that she told Levi Chavez about his wifes allegations. "I'm going to go to church, pray my Rosary and thank my Virgin Mary," Chavez said as he was crowded by reporters. She still has a brother that lives here locally. According to her testimony, Heather Chavez was in Chicago with her parents the weekend Tera died. Heather Chavez said she hadnt remembered those calls when she gave a deposition in a civil wrongful death lawsuit filed by Teras family against Levi. Your email is safe with us, we dont spam. I couldve been a better parent and recommended that it was in the best interest that they not be together, she said. Nobody answered, so she called police.Officers showed up and found Carla's body inside. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.(KRQE) The attorney general and the Albuquerque Police Department are cracking down on serial shoplifters and organized retail crime. Perea, a former APD officer, was sharing a police vehicle with Levi Chavez on Oct. 19 and 20. Albuquerque Community Connect Camera Registry and Integration. Decommissioned Nuclear Power Plant Scotland, Blastocyst culture and Blastocyst embryo transfer, Fertility consultation and fertility treatment planning. gtag('config', 'UA-177193517-1'); Levi was initially charged Jason Chavez in Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to her testimony, Heather Chavez was in Chicago with her parents the weekend Tera died. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis-Journal), Former APD officer Levi Chavez, center, hugs family members after being found not guilty of murder on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. He strongly follows the principles of community oriented policing and has begun implementing Community Engagement, Partnerships with Business Coalitions, Youth and Elderly Outreach within the Albuquerque Police Department. Decommissioned Nuclear Power Plant Scotland, LeviChavezLaw . That was the whole thing that made me upset. All rights reserved. Asked if he would try to get his old job back with the Albuquerque Police Department, Chavez blurted out a date but declined to say what that date meant. Serna said he doubted that Chavez would want return to the state's largest police department. "What did I tell you?" >> SHE HAD NOT BEEN TO WORK IN THREE DAYS. She left the courtroom in tears and came back in eight minutes later, still dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. Anyone with information on Beccas identity is encouraged to contact Detective Heather Chavez of the Albuquerque Police Department at 505-768-2404 or hcchavez@cabq.gov, or the FBI Violent Criminal Apprehension Program He was born in Albuquerque, and lived in Los Lunas. Mmmm detective Chavez with homicide, the text read. << /Filter /FlateDecode /S 36 /O 90 /Length 79 >> Subscribe now to access decluttered news, chosen by you. OVER THE YEARS DETECTIVES INTERVIEWED A LOT OF PEOPLE, STILL NEARLY THREE DECADES LATER, NO ARRESTS. t|!iej@,RUAp*tG;^ppxu\>q 1T}|{U\x lX2pdRHB zg_h";*uJYUXd\.~|}wWI]'l+F Q~18OMU. As McKay began to ask Radosevich whether Jones had passed along the information about the magazine not being secured into the butt of the pistol, Serna twice lodged objections, claiming such testimony from Radosevich would be hearsay. Twenty-four days after the 911 suicide call, which Levi Chavez made around 9 p.m. on Oct, 21, 2007, a text message popped up on his cellphone suggesting that a new marriage wasnt far off. Email addresses are used solely for verification and to speed the verification process for repeat questioners. She still has a brother that lives here locally. New Mexico and ABQ News, Sports, Business and more, By Jeff Proctor / Journal Staff Writer IVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HIM. Upon returning to Albuquerque, she attended Tera's funeral, she testified, as did many other. (Greg Sorber/Journal), Tera Chavez 's parents, Theresa and Joseph Cordova, leave the Sandoval County Courthouse on Tuesday, July 16, 2013, after Levi Chavez was found not guilty of murdering their daughter. First on the witness stand was Rita Romero, Levi Chavezs mother, who often testified through sobs as she told defense attorney David Serna how much she loved her former daughter-in-law, Tera Chavez. She first pursued her career in writing in college. APDs mission is to build relationships through community policing that will lead to reduced crime and increased safety. Garcia said she couldnt find any identifiable prints on either the Glock, the magazine or any of the bullets she examined. FARMINGTON POLICE ARE STILL FOLLOWING LEADS AND ARE ASKING PEOPLE WITH LEGITIMATE TIPS TO CONTACT THE FARMINGTON POLICE HOTLINE OR CRIME STOPPERS. Master Police Officer 1C at City of Albuquerque. The defense contends that Tera shot herself with her husbands Albuquerque Police Department-issued pistol. Heather Pratt-chavez is a pediatrician established in Albuquerque, New Mexico and her medical specialization is pediatrics with more than 14 years of experience. Reportedly, he is married to APD Detective Heather, who was also present throughout the trial. Another, Athena Padilla was arrested on March 9, was charged with 10 shoplifting incidents with a value close to $19,000. Published: Tuesday, July 16th, 2013 at 3:53PMUpdated: Tuesday, July 16th, 2013 at 11:21PM, #foogallery-gallery-0 .fg-image { She said some jurors even cried during deliberations. endstream Critics, supporters offer differing opinions on program's future in New Mexico, University of New Mexico Hospital launching health care listening tour, Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro to reopen after three years. On Oct. 28, 1992, a Farmington woman was brutally murdered. ) . Dated Nov. 14, 2007, it was from a fellow APD officer whose name, at the time, was Heather Hindi. Weve made it clear to them: Teras your mother, and she loves you,' she said of Tera and Levis children. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. However, he conceded that it was plausible.. He had to watch his parents pass away and they never had closure so they never knew what happened to Carla. In the days after Teras death, Romero said, her son was distraught, broken, fragile and unwilling to leave his room. Deputies arrest man in attempted robbery that led to Bernalillo County deputies arrested a man Bernalillo County deputies arrested a man in an armed robbery-turned-gunfight that left his alleged accomplice dead last year in Southwest Albuquerque. This included partnerships with the schools, teachers and laws enforcement with a focused presentation of alcohol awareness to students. Levi Chavez, in a surprise move, testified in his own defense. I wasnt worried.. Former APD officer Levi Chavez gets a hug from his wife Heather Chavez after being found not guilty of murder on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. But when Albuquerque Police For non-emergency police calls, call 505-242-COPS 311 COMMUNITY CONTACT CENTER The 311 Community Contact Center is a centralized call center for the City of Albuquerque. He asked Radosevich whether it would be possible to release the magazine after shooting oneself with the gun in that position. Prosecutors allege that he shot his wife, Tera Chavez, through the mouth on either Oct. 19, 20 or 21, 2007, in the couples home near Los Lunas and tried to make her death look like a suicide. (Dean Hanson/Journal) 1:48 p.m. BERNALILLOTwenty-four days after Levi Chavez called. Now they are calling on Albuquerque P Chavez has been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. Levi Chavez is a former police officer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was charged with the 2007 death of his 26-year-old wife, Tera Chavez. At issue is testimony that the magazine in the pistol was unseated after Teras body was found and what that means to the case. Attorney Brad Hall, who represents Teras family in the civil suit, asked whether Levi Chavez had loaned his cellphone to anyone. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. University of New Mexico Hospital launching health care listening Hospital CEO Kate Becker says 'we really want to hear from our community about what their health needs are' in order to prioritize resources. Over the years, detectives. That would have been after she moved out of the home she shared with Steve Hindi, according to her testimony. HUM0W%FWD ,X{8n`j.{_il;xQne9oK^T(gB5eVhmmvPZu]u^Z@V.>2XYi-&+n q m4mNpI P]-)8m !5;RTTAdfI;H.KDYBd"kgBYJi !GG@5*GG0Zaowi&.0D6L%pI Still -- nearly three decades later -- no arrests. Others, including Radosevich, have testified that, based on less-than-ideal crime scene photographs, the magazine appeared to have possibly been unseated.. On Tuesday, the court heard from police officer Regina Sanchez, who admitted to having an affair with Chavez in 2006. ITS A HEAVY WEIGHT TO CARRY. He received the Uniformed Officer of the Year for the Albuquerque Police Department in 2004. Debra Romero, also a police officer in the department, admitted to having an affair with Levi Chavez. stream ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - The attorney general and the Albuquerque Police Department are cracking down on serial shoplifters and organized retail crime. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal), Levi Chavez, center, leaves the Sandoval County Courthouse on Tuesday, July 16, 2013, after he was found not guilty of murdering his wife Tera Chavez in October 2007 and making it look like a suicide. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of KOAT-TV. 9,701 Followers, 2,680 Following, 7,903 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Heather Chavez (@heather_chav) She lives with her family in Phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. [1] [2] Levi was initially charged with murdering his wife with his police issued Glock and making it appear as a suicide. His much-anticipated testimony did not appear to help either side, as Perea said that he couldnt be sure where Levi Chavez was for the entirety of the two swing shifts. Mary Chavez is 73 years old and was born on 12/22/1947. Dr. Chavez works in Albuquerque, NM and 1 other location and specializes in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Levi Chavez was working as a police officer in October 2007 when he allegedly shot and killed Tera Chavez in the bed of their Los Lunas home with his police revolver. Heather is related to Philip P Pratt and Judith A Pratt as well as 3 additional people. Romero described the relationship between Levis family and Teras family as nonexistent., We traveled in different circles, she said. Her boss at the time was worried so she went to Carlas house and knocked on her door. Chavez was accused of killing his wife in October. Other stores are installing LOT-COP Security Camera Towers to aid in this deterrence effort. Heather's current home is located at Albuquerque, NM. He has pled not guilty. They deliberated all day Monday and began again at about 1 p.m. today. Chief Medina says the department has a partnership with some stores across the city to help but supports stores going the private security route instead. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis /Journal), Former APD officer Levi Chavez reacts to being found not guilty of murder on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. Brookreson also examined Chavezs APD-issued laptop, according to his testimony. The Gallup New Deal Art Virtual Museum has received another big boost from the National Endowment fo 'More time for sunshine.' Carla Helmer hadn't shown up for work at a Farmington convenience store for three days. The reason: Serna and prosecutors said Farrelly hadnt turned over everything he had on the case during discovery. With one clear, simple statement, Radosevich drove home the states contention that Tera Chavez could not have pulled the trigger herself. Jones also told her Levi Chavez had numerous affairs while he was married to Tera, but according to Keeners characterization of Heather Chavezs previous statements, she wasnt interested. Georgetown University Diploma, Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Chavez has never been charged with any wrongdoing. "This was a made up pile of lies from the beginning and it took the jury approximately 10 hours to find that out. Levi Chavez has admitted to having girlfriends while he was married, including APD officer Heather Hindi, whom he married within days of her divorce from another APD officer Despite being sued by the city of Rio Rancho for reimbursement for his police certification costs, Schultz hires Chavez even after strong arguments by APD Academy personnel objecting to his hiring. But, the disgraced former officer insisted that he did not kill his wife. Detectives say Chavez wanted his wife dead because she threatened to reveal he staged the theft of a truck so he can collect insurance money. Heather Chavez said she was helping move Tera Chavez's items out of the Los Lunas home in the weeks after the funeral. Albuquerque. In December of 2017, Medina was appointed to Deputy Chief for the Albuquerque Police Department and currently oversees the Field Services Bureau. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Since February, APD has made 15 felony arrests and 7 misdemeanor arrests for shoplifting. << /Lang /MarkInfo << /Marked true >> /Outlines 6 0 R /PageLayout /OneColumn /Pages 5 0 R /StructTreeRoot 9 0 R /Type /Catalog >> Dr. Chavez is affiliated with Lovelace Medical Center. Self Service Car Washes Near Me, Also, a new bullet was in the Glocks firing chamber when law enforcement arrived at the Chavezes home. Currently, the Maxwell Museum is displaying 'Conversing with the Land: Native North American Baskets of the Maxwell Museum Collections,' through Jan. 10, 2024. I've been in contact with him. In case you missed it, here's a repeat of a major event that is unfolding in the Levi Chavez trial. Harold Medina received a Bachelors degree with a double major in Biology and Criminology through the college of Arts and Science from the University of New Mexico in 1994. Keener pressed Heather Chavez on a statement she made during her deposition that her sexual relationship with Levi Chavez began in a car. Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast Albuquerque, Where does medical cannabis go from here? Jones was the lead investigator handling the death of Tera Chavez for the Valencia County Sheriffs Office. THEY NEVER HAD CLOSURE. Download the Albuquerque Police Department's Organizational Chart. Levi Chavez is the Husband of Tera, and he was a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department. July 16, 2013: Levi Chavez, right, a former Albuquerque police officer, gets a hug from his wife, Heather Chavez, after being cleared of charges he murdered his estranged wife, Tera Chavez, in in 2007. Subscribe now to access decluttered news, chosen by you. xc````` ]ep e1BU&lwYp3Y76fb`;RD" Chavez was accused of killing his wife in October 2007 and making it look like a suicide. These initiatives led to the continued success in the reduction of property crimes in the Southwest Area Command. Two major arrests have recently been made: one being Isaiah Martinez who is accused of organizing a mass theft of multiple sunglass huts across the city, with a value of $53,000 dollars back in October 2021. Guitarist Ottmar Liebert bringing his unique blend of music Ottmar Liebert and his band Luna Negra will perform with the New Mexico Philharmonic at Popejoy Hall on Saturday, March 11. The Albuquerque City Council voted 8-0 on March 15, 2021 to confirm Medinas appointment as Chief of the Albuquerque Police Department. (AP Photo/Albuquerque Journal, Adolphe Pierre-Louis). I feel confident with my choice, but I cry for the family, she said. Please call the 118th Street Task Force at 1-877-765-8273 , (505) 768-2450 or Crime Stoppers at (505) 843-STOP with any information you may have concerning this crime. ;$X@UqD BXHp 9@B$T001VlHE 5 The prosecutions primary theory on motive for murder was that Levi Chavez wanted to silence Tera as a potential witness against him regarding the truck. All rights reserved. On Jan. 15, 2008, Heather Chavez gave an interview to then-Detective Jones of VCSO. Thats when she married Levi Chavez and took his last name, according to testimony she gave Friday morning at the end of the third week in her husbands murder trial. But the trial, which began two weeks ago, has offered more stories of affairs within the Albuquerque Police Department. They say Chavez was having an affair with Albuquerque police officer Nick Wheeler in the months before her death. John enjoyed horseback riding with his sons and best friend and cousin On March 16, 2012 we broke the story (READ IT HERE) about how APD's current Deputy Chief Allen Banks was caught lying while under a sworn oath to tell the truth when he was testifying in the labor hearing involving former APD officer Russell Perea. One revelation did, however, come from the deposition: Levi Chavezs story has changed about the last time he was in Los Lunas before he called 911 to report his wifes death. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Many stores are now keeping a log of names and videos of repeat offenders. King had been an academy classmate of Police Chief Ray Schultz, who, in a tearful press conference after the killings, called it one of the saddest days in the history of the Albuquerque Police Department. Inside the department, former officers say, the deaths were a turning point: Officer safety became the order of the day. probate, or family law case, contact Attorney Levi M. Chavez, II at 505-415-2640. The tawdry details spilled in the trial and the questions it raised about the practices of the Albuquerque Police Department have further tarnished the agency, which is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department over a series of police shootings. Assistant District Attorney Anne Keener, on cross-examination, asked Romero to confirm that she had left her marriage to Levi Chavez Sr. because of cheating, gambling and the debt he left her in. GallupARTS receives $400,000 grant for virtual project. Heather Chavez also testified that she never met or spoke to Tera Chavez. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Police officers will often tell you theres no such thing as a routine call when youre patrolling the streets. << /Linearized 1 /L 38845 /H [ 955 163 ] /O 76 /E 36564 /N 1 /T 38217 >> 73 0 obj Judge Eichwald ultimately allowed the question, to which Radosevich answered: At the time (Jones) recovered it, yes, Jones said the magazine was unseated. Also in court on Friday, jurors heard a heavily redacted recording of the deposition Levi Chavez gave in the civil case. Instead, the jury was instructed that Farrelly had received an anonymous call from the Style America where Tera worked alleging insurance fraud by Levi Chavez, and that he conducted an investigation which concluded that the allegations were unfounded.. Following the verdict, emotional family members of Tera Chavez were quickly escorted out of Sandoval District Court, the result of an edict from state District Judge George Eichwald who sought to ease tensions between the two families. He was the 35th of 36 witnesses called by the state, which rested its case Monday afternoon. Mary Chavez lives in Albuquerque, NM; previous city include Peralta NM. New Mexico weavers keeping tradition alive, 1 injured in Bernalillo County deputy-involved crash, Mortgage rates have little reason to fall in March. In 2014, Medina retired from the Albuquerque Police Department and shortly thereafter became the Chief of Police for the Pueblo of Laguna. Chavez's 911 call to report his wife's death was played in court. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. "She received multiple stab wounds." In an indictment filed in April 2011 that charges Levi Chavez with first-degree murder and evidence tampering, prosecutors say he killed Tera in the couples home near Los Lunas on Oct. 19, 20 or 21, 2007. All the children are aware of who Tera was, Heather Chavez said, and they even celebrate her birthday. The gun was the biggest hang up, but there was no proof, she said. He said in 2009 at the deposition that Thursday Oct. 18, 2007 was the last time he was there until Sunday night Oct. 21, when he says he discovered Teras body. abq.policecomplaints.info. Critics, supporters offer differing opinions on program's future in New Mexico, Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro to reopen after three years. During these 19 months, property crimes saw double-digit reductions in many areas.