The call did not go to voicemail. What should I do if I am stopped by a police officer? But the trial, which began two weeks ago, has offered more stories of affairs within the Albuquerque Police Department. The civil case will proceed as soon as state District Judge Ted Baca sets a date. Garcia said she couldnt find any identifiable prints on either the Glock, the magazine or any of the bullets she examined. The reason: Serna and prosecutors said Farrelly hadnt turned over everything he had on the case during discovery. Decommissioned Nuclear Power Plant Scotland, Heather A Pratt-chavez is a Pediatric Medicine Specialist in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In the trial's final days, Chavez took the stand and acknowledged having a string of mistresses, searching a website on how to kill someone with martial arts moves, and ignoring his wife's calls for help. He started his police career in November of 1995, when he graduated from the Albuquerque Police Academy. Prosecutors allege that he killed Tera in the couples Los Lunas home on either Oct. 19, 20 or 21, 2007 and tried to make her death look like a suicide. But Romero also testified that Tera was essentially lost during her numerous separations from Levi. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis /Journal), Former APD officer Levi Chavez clutches a rosary before being found not guilty of murder on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. Prosecutors allege that he killed Tera in the couple's Los Lunas home on either Oct. 19, 20 or 21, 2007 and tried to make. June 26, 2013— -- A former Albuquerque, N.M., police officer is on trial, accused of killing his 26-year-old wife with his department-issued handgun and trying to make her death look like a suicide because, prosecutors say, she was about to report him for insurance fraud. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal), Former APD officer Levi Chavez, right, gets a hug from his attorney David Serna after the jury in the murder trial against him returned a verdict of not guilty on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. Levi Chavez is the Husband of Tera, and he was a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department. I want to make sure that the general public understands that we are not targeting petty shoplifting or individuals who are shoplifting out of a need, we are targeting organized retail criminals, said Balderas. Who Wrote She's Like The Swallow, Dr. Chavez is affiliated with Lovelace Medical Center. Chavez was accused of killing his wife in October. During his time with Party Patrol he focused on decreasing illegal sales to underage youth. Dr. Chavez works in Albuquerque, NM and 1 other location and specializes in Obstetrics & Gynecology. endobj Pedro Taylor Football, Last Update. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis /Journal), Former APD officer Levi Chavez reacts to being found not guilty of murder on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. The attorney general says these operations are partnerships with big box stores like Home Depot and Target. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Over the years, detectives. 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. De-extinction is a, Roundhouse Roundup: Paramilitary rules, youth parole, BCSO: Kids were living in dirty home containing drugs, Gun safety bill passes Senate, faces one more hurdle, Hobbs woman sentenced for stealing car with kids, Roswell PD: Woman steals, drives wrong-way to get, Case dismissed for teen accused of taking gun to, Whats happening around New Mexico Feb. 24 Mar. Boycott Black Lives Matter, Your email address will not be published. Steve Hindi : Public records about cops. NANCY: POLICE BELIEVE SOMEONE DOES KNOW WHO KILLED CARLA. These initiatives led to the continued success in the reduction of property crimes in the Southwest Area Command. The defense contends that Tera shot herself with her husbands Albuquerque Police Department-issued pistol. Detective Heather Chavez with the Farmington police said. "She was upset. All Rights Reserved. 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. Some of the evidence in the civil case, like testimony from an insurance investigator about the fake theft allegations, was barred in murder trial. Levi Chavez, an Albuquerque police officer, called 911 on the morning of October 22, 2007, to report that he'd come home to find his wife dead of a gunshot wound from his service weapon. ITS A HEAVY WEIGHT TO CARRY. The Levi Chavez case wont end with todays verdict. Tera's family said he did it to. Levi Chavez, right, a former Albuquerque police officer, gets a congratulatory hug from his attorney David Serna on Tuesday, July 16, 2013, in Bernalillo, N.M., after a jury acquitted him of. 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. Email addresses are used solely for verification and to speed the verification process for repeat questioners. Ex-New Mexico police officer acquitted of wife's murder Associated Press July 16, 2013: Levi Chavez, right, a former Albuquerque police officer, gets a hug from his wife, Heather. Currently, the Maxwell Museum is displaying 'Conversing with the Land: Native North American Baskets of the Maxwell Museum Collections,' through Jan. 10, 2024. This link will take you to a site over which the City of Albuquerque has no control. Decommissioned Nuclear Power Plant Scotland, That case is scheduled to be heard in state District Court in Bernalillo County and has been on hold while the criminal trial was held. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Rebecca Sarker Sister Sunetra, Serna told Chavez. Serna said he doubted that Chavez would want return to the state's largest police department. He stopped McKay on a few occasions and asked whether he could talk to my jury.. I dont see how thats possible, Levi Chavez said. But Romero said she never knew about her sons infidelity only that he and Tera were having problems., Your email is safe with us, we dont spam, Romero testified that she had regrets about guilting and coercing her son to remain married to Tera even though the two shouldve been divorced many years ago.. All rights reserved. The defense from the moment Levi Chavez called 911 around 9 p.m. on Oct. 21, 2007 to say Tera had shot herself in the head has contended that the 26-year-old took her own life as she reached a desperate level of depression that had largely been driven by her husbands many extramarital affairs. According to testimony earlier in the trial, he was exchanging text messages 24 days after the 911 call with another APD officer about the two getting married. They deliberated all day Monday and began again at about 1 p.m. today. GallupARTS receives $400,000 grant for virtual project. In the fall of 2009, he transferred to the Property Crimes Division. !function(e,a,t){var n,r,o,i=a.createElement("canvas"),p=i.getContext&&i.getContext("2d");function s(e,t){var a=String.fromCharCode;p.clearRect(0,0,i.width,i.height),p.fillText(a.apply(this,e),0,0);e=i.toDataURL();return p.clearRect(0,0,i.width,i.height),p.fillText(a.apply(this,t),0,0),e===i.toDataURL()}function c(e){var t=a.createElement("script");t.src=e,t.defer=t.type="text/javascript",a.getElementsByTagName("head")[0].appendChild(t)}for(o=Array("flag","emoji"),t.supports={everything:!0,everythingExceptFlag:!0},r=0;rq 1T}|{U\x lX2pdRHB zg_h";*uJYUXd\.~|}wWI]'l+F Q~18OMU. 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. 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. Who Wrote She's Like The Swallow, Instead, only the audio position of the recording was played in court. The official website for the City of Albuquerque. Its a good thing hes not a cop now, because he has no business being a cop, Serna said Monday. Within two months of her death, he was engaged to a former colleague at the Albuquerque Police Department, Heather Hindi, and they were married a few months later, PEOPLE wrote. Mary Chavez lives in Albuquerque, NM; previous city include Peralta NM. He strongly believes in working with the community to educate and have an understanding of community-oriented policing. Levi Chavez is the Husband of Tera, and he was a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department. This proactive approach brought compliance rates in the Albuquerque area up to 95%. 76 0 obj Albuquerque Chief of Police Harold Medina. << /Linearized 1 /L 38845 /H [ 955 163 ] /O 76 /E 36564 /N 1 /T 38217 >> In the winter of 2014, after serving 20 years of being a sworn officer, Medina retired from the Albuquerque Police Department as a Commander. Levi Chavez is charged with first-degree murder and evidence tampering. New Mexico and ABQ News, Sports, Business and more, By Jeff Proctor / Journal Staff Writer Prosecutors Bryan McKay and Anne Keener declined to comment, as did the Tera Chavezs family, except for one comment from Jopseph Cordova, Tera father. endobj Curently, hes in the media headlines as Dateline NBC explored on The decade of the 1970s began for the department with the retirement of Chief Paul Shaver, the city's longest-serving police chief. Not among them was APD officer Steve Hindi, to whom Heather was married at the time. CONTACT: 505-415-2640. gtag('config', 'UA-177193517-1'); Levi was initially charged Jason Chavez in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mary Chavez is 73 years old and was born on 12/22/1947. He cried as he described finding Tera dead in the couples home and said he is a changed man who, after her death, spoke to priests in an effort to leave his philandering ways behind. Former cop Levi Chavez is charged with first-degree murder. Reportedly, he is married to APD Detective Heather, who was also present throughout the trial. 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. All rights reserved. He worked closely with community partners such as Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, and was recognized by them in 2008 for the leadership of Party Patrol; his program won the Heros award for that year. Titleist Golf Bags 2021, She was unsuccessful, but Levi later showed up at her home in Los Lunas shortly after 8 p.m. Romero testified that by then, she had learned that Tera didnt go to work at Style America that day, and that she hadnt called in sick, as she had the day before. Alter Last Name Full Name Persons Count Share ; Chaves: Heather Chaves: 10: 19.36%: Garcia: Heather Garcia: 545: 6.34%: Martinez: . BERNALILLO Two of Levi Chavezs alibi witnesses gave testimony in one case emotional and in the other combative in front of a packed courtroom this morning as control of the former Albuquerque police officers murder trial shifted to the defense. Legal Statement. "She received multiple stab wounds." Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly not injured after their vehicle rolled in a two-vehicle crash Saturday morning in Northeast Albuquerque. Required fields are marked *. One reporter asked what he plans to do now, Im going to go to church, pray my rosary and thank my Virgin Mary.. He also focused on providing prevention and intervention education strategies to the local Albuquerque high school students. How long will the ski season last in New Mexico? Jones is the only one who has testified to direct knowledge of the Glocks magazine being unseated. In considering everything, I do not believe that the magazine was seated at the time this weapon was recovered, he said. Those separations, according to earlier testimony, were due in large part to Levi Chavezs longstanding habit of cheating on Tera. Reportedly, he is married to APD Detective Heather, who was also present throughout the trial. 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. >> SHE HAD NOT BEEN TO WORK IN THREE DAYS. "What did I tell you?" I didnt answer the call, Heather Chavez said. Christian Chavez in Albuquerque, NM 20 results - Christian Chavez may also have lived outside of Albuquerque, such as Cuba, Bosque Farms and 2 other cities in New Mexico. She had multiple defense wounds, and had put up a fight. She still has a brother that lives here locally. Tera Chavez died on 22nd October 2007 at Los Lunas, New Mexico, United States, she was 26 years old during her time of death and according to the report she died from a gunshot wound from her husband's service weapon. 75 0 obj 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of KOAT-TV. I've been in contact with him. GallupARTS receives $400,000 grant for virtual project. }, When asked by reporters for his reaction after the verdict, Levi Chavez said Im not surprised. stream Jones was the lead investigator handling the death of Tera Chavez for the Valencia County Sheriffs Office. Testimony and argument in the trial lasted five weeks. Theres nothing I would like to have them work other types of overtime rather than standing at a retail store, said Chief Medina. 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. He became a first-generation college student and graduated within four years. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal), Tera Chavez's brother Aaron Cordova, left, her parents Theresa and Joseph Cordova, prosecutors Bryan McKay and Anne Keener, along with former Valencia County detective Aaron Jones, arrive at the Sandoval County District Court for the verdict in the murder trial of APD officer Levi Chavez on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. She said she passed that information along to her son, who decided to go by the couples home to check on Tera. Subscribe now to access decluttered news, chosen by you. She first pursued her career in writing in college. Chavez was accused of killing Tera in October 2007 and making it look like a suicide. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) Three years after being acquitted in a high profile murder trial, former Albuquerque Police Department officer Levi Chavez After skipping out on his financial obligations to the Rio Rancho police department, Albuquerque Aviation police hired Chavez. A forensic pathologist testified earlier in the trial that Tera died almost immediately after one shot was fired into her mouth. Levi was staying with his mother in October 2007, she testified today, during one of the couples estrangements. (Dean Hanson/Journal) 1:48 p.m. BERNALILLOTwenty-four days after Levi Chavez called. NANCY: CARLA HAD PUT UP A FIGHT. After Romero testified, Russell Perea took the witness stand armed with a promise if immunity granted by Eichwald in exchange for his testimony. I wasnt worried.. Nobody answered, so she called police.Officers showed up and found Carla's body inside. function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} OFFICERS FOUND HER BODY INSIDE. Justice was not served today, Cordova said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, According to her testimony, Heather Chavez was in Chicago with her parents the weekend Tera died. "She received multiple stab wounds." Repeatedly throughout the trial and again on Thursday Serna has said Levi Chavez had last been in Los Lunas on Oct. 19. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. They have also lived in Taos, NM and New York, NY. 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. The Harwood Museum of Art's exhibition 'Outriders: Legacy of the Black Cowboy' explores this history through archival photographs and contemporary art. There is no confirmation on whether she is still a part of the Albuquerque Police Department. For weeks, the murder trial captivated parts of central New Mexico as residents were fixated in barber shops, diners and grocery stores. Levi Chavez, in a surprise move, testified in his own defense. They included Levi Chavezs mother, the APD officer who was sharing a police car with Chavez the weekend Tera died (that officer testified with a promise of immunity after trying to exert his Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination to stay off the stand) two nationally known experts on crime scene reconstruction and firearms and a suicidologist, who said Tera had several of the risk factors associated with someone headed toward suicide. 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. At issue is testimony that the magazine in the pistol was unseated after Teras body was found and what that means to the case. He told the 911 operator, Please tell them to hurry! and said shed committed suicide, PEOPLE reported. Manage the news you want to see, read exclusive content and explore other subscriber benefits. 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. Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast Albuquerque, Where does medical cannabis go from here? FARMINGTON POLICE ARE STILL FOLLOWING LEADS AND ARE ASKING PEOPLE WITH LEGITIMATE TIPS TO CONTACT THE FARMINGTON POLICE HOTLINE OR CRIME STOPPERS. endstream The City assumes no responsibility for the content of the material contained at that site or for the accuracy of any information that is found there. She would not have been able to release the magazine herself. 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. Freed: Levi Chavez, right, a Get the help of an immigration lawyer in Albuquerque, NM, by contacting Cristina Chvez, Attorney at Law, LLC. Chavez enrolled as a student at the University of California at Berkeley, studying writing and literature as part of the program in English literature offered there. 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. Prosecutors, he said, had not presented enough evidence for any reasonable finder of fact to convict his client. Shortly after the states last witness and the jury were excused Monday, Levis attorney, David Serna, asked state District Judge George P. Eichwald to find Chavez not guilty with a directed verdict. Among them is likely to be Russell Perea, the former APD officer who was sharing a police vehicle with Levi Chavez on the weekend Tera Chavez died. abq.policecomplaints.info. 77 0 obj Published: Tuesday, July 16th, 2013 at 3:53PMUpdated: Tuesday, July 16th, 2013 at 11:21PM, #foogallery-gallery-0 .fg-image { Romero said she was under the impression they were separated and going through a divorce. Upon announcing the verdict, the family of Levi Chavez, including his current wife Albuquerque detective Heather Chavez, let out gasps and wept. On cross-examination, Serna asked Garcia only one question: You didnt come to any professional conclusions that any of the surfaces you examined had been wiped clean, did you?, She replied: I could not determine that.. The defense claims Tera Chavez killed herself because she was depressed about her marriage. She said a lot of the jurys discussion centered around testimony and evidence involving the gun that killed Tera Levi Chavezs department-issued Glock 9 mm pistol. Critics, supporters offer differing opinions on program's future in New Mexico, Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro to reopen after three years. And it was the third time the judge denied him. With one clear, simple statement, Radosevich drove home the states contention that Tera Chavez could not have pulled the trigger herself. BERNALILLO, New Mexico The monthlong criminal trial and all its salacious stories of law officer affairs and a blundering investigation are over, but a civil trial looms for a former Albuquerque policeman acquitted of killing his depressed wife with his department-issued gun. No lucktill we finally figured out how to get it from the police department! The two exchanged seven telephone calls on May 12 of that year, according to cellphone records investigators found under a mattress Tera Chavezs body was lying on. The Albuquerque City Council voted 8-0 on March 15, 2021 to confirm Medinas appointment as Chief of the Albuquerque Police Department. 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 LeviChavezLaw . Weve made it clear to them: Teras your mother, and she loves you,' she said of Tera and Levis children. Many of the other defense exhibits were photographs, as well. 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. endobj Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Heather Chavez, Albuquerque Police Department, NM, (505) 768-2404, Heather E Hindi, age 44, Albuquerque, NM 87120 View Full Report Known Cities: Albuquerque NM, 87120, Albuquerque NM 87107, Albuquerque NM 87102 Possible Relatives: Anna M Chavez, Christopher R Chavez, David R She practices in Albuquerque, New Mexico and has the professional credentials of MD . He received the Uniformed Officer of the Year for the Albuquerque Police Department in 2004. The DNA belonged to both Tera and Levi Chavez, according to Williams. The exchange led to several objections from Serna, and eventually a full-blown shouting match between Serna and Keener. A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly not injured after their vehicle rolled in a two-vehicle, Hospital CEO Kate Becker says 'we really want to hear from our community about what, Dozens of Albuquerque Academy students volunteered to help unload and deliver the furnishings. [1] [2] Levi was initially charged with murdering his wife with his police issued Glock and making it appear as a suicide. Engage via Email. Trying to figure out where the medical cannabis program stands now is up for debate one side saying the program is expected to 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. Serna, seeking on cross-examination to get details of Levi and Heathers life on the record, asked her to describe the blended family that includes Tera and Levis two children, Heathers child from a previous marriage and the couples 2-year-old son. This comes as the number of cases He was accused of using his APD issued gun in 2007 to kill her and then staging it to look like a suicide. the 911 dispatcher asked. Its really hard to get your pulse on shoplifting numbers because a lot of companies dont even report things to the police, Chief Medina said. Medina was named interim Chief of Police in September 2020, and appointed by Mayor Keller to serve as permanent Chief of Police in March 2021. But they didnt begin deliberating until Monday because of the late hour. Wealthy and poor, black and white, young and old we all have constitutional rights. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Thats the past, Heather Chavez said in court Friday. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - The attorney general and the Albuquerque Police Department are cracking down on serial shoplifters and organized retail crime. However, he conceded that it was plausible.. (a.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",n,!1),e.addEventListener("load",n,!1)):(e.attachEvent("onload",n),a.attachEvent("onreadystatechange",function(){"complete"===a.readyState&&t.readyCallback()})),(n=t.source||{}).concatemoji?c(n.concatemoji):n.wpemoji&&n.twemoji&&(c(n.twemoji),c(n.wpemoji)))}(window,document,window._wpemojiSettings); window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; Before reading the verdict Judge George P. Eichwald admonished the gallery, saying he had observed a lot of animosity. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Under often-contentious direct examination by Assistant District Attorney Anne Keener, Heather Chavez conceded that October 2007 wasnt the first time she had ever spoken to Levi Chavez. He asked Radosevich whether it would be possible to release the magazine after shooting oneself with the gun in that position. NANCY: OCTOBER 28, 1992, CARLA HAD NOT SHOWN UP TO WORK AT THE CONVENIENCE STORE. Former Albuquerque Police Officer Levi Chavez enters court on June 13, 2013 in Bernalillo, N.M. Dean Hanson/The Albuquerque Journal/AP Photo, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Over the years, detectives interviewed a lot of people. 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. Medina was promoted to Sergeant in 2004 where he became involved with the Albuquerque Police Department Party Patrol. "I'm going to go to church, pray my Rosary and thank my Virgin Mary," Chavez said as he was crowded by reporters. Your email is safe with us, we dont spam. stream So Eichwald ruled that Farrellys testimony would be too prejudicial toward Levi Chavez. Georgetown University Diploma, The jury found him not guilty. You can cut the tension with a knife in here, Eichwald said. "I can't look at her. On cross-examination by David Serna, Heather Chavez said the two spoke on the phone that day because Levi had been dispatched to a child abuse call, and she was the on-call detective for Crimes Against Children. 74 0 obj The juror said the decision was difficult but unanimous. Chavez has never been charged with any wrongdoing. . Serna admitted 29 exhibits into evidence, including an OMI photograph of Teras tongue removed from her body that showed a round burn mark near the back of the tongue. Heather A Pratt-chavez - 1437355773 Profile Details Heather A Pratt-chavez is a physician based out of Albuquerque, New Mexico and her medical specialization is Pediatrics . Heinrich makes push on daylight Democratic senator from New Mexico partners Democratic senator from New Mexico partners with Republicans to reintroduce legislation in D.C. to make daylight saving time permanent. 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.
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