And to release the magazine from its seated position, five pounds of pressure must be applied to a release button located on the left side of the handle near the trigger guard, he said. In 2007, Medina was promoted to the Lieutenant rank and remained there for 2 years. Your email is safe with us, we dont spam. "She asked me if I would leave Samantha for her, and I told her no". "This was a made up pile of lies from the beginning and it took the jury approximately 10 hours to find that out. APD and AG are hoping to bring harsher charges for those who are more violent offenders or serial shoplifters. Prosecutors allege Levi Chavez shot Tera Chavez, 26, once in the mouth with his APD-issued Glock 9 mm pistol and tried to make it look like a suicide. In the winter of 2014, after serving 20 years of being a sworn officer, Medina retired from the Albuquerque Police Department as a Commander. When a shot is fired, provided the magazine is locked in place (also called seated), the semiautomatic pistol then automatically pulls another bullet from the magazine and loads it into the guns chamber. xc````` ]ep e1BU&lwYp3Y76fb`;RD" 77 0 obj Brookreson testified there also were several Web searches for Jones. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. LeviChavezLaw . Levi Chavez cried at the defense table while his mother testified. endobj }, When asked by reporters for his reaction after the verdict, Levi Chavez said Im not surprised. (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. 76 0 obj (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. Information about the Albuquerque Police Department. (Dean Hanson/Journal) 1:48 p.m. BERNALILLOTwenty-four days after Levi Chavez called. Download the Albuquerque Police Department's Organizational Chart. How long will the ski season last in New Mexico? City of Albuquerque goes to court to shut down City says the property puts the community at risk, but owner says it's unfair to blame businesses for Albuquerque crime and homelessness, Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast Albuquerque, University of New Mexico Hospital launching health care listening tour, Support for families: Nonprofit that helps people who are homeless gets mattress donation, Where does medical cannabis go from here? At issue is testimony that the magazine in the pistol was unseated after Teras body was found and what that means to the case. That witness, Rose Slama, also testified that she told Levi Chavez about his wifes allegations. The Levi Chavez case wont end with todays verdict. Where Is Levi Chavez Now? - The Cinemaholic Ex-New Mexico police officer acquitted of wife's murder He introduced and developed several first-time programs that emphasized on outreach to local youth. Levi Chavez Now: Where Is Tera Chavez's Husband Today? Some extra notes, quotes, news and notes from the Lobos Friday night basketball game in Fort Collins, Colorado. 72 0 obj This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Freed: Levi Chavez, right, a Get the help of an immigration lawyer in Albuquerque, NM, by contacting Cristina Chvez, Attorney at Law, LLC. 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. The Gallup New Deal Art Virtual Museum has received another big boost from the National Endowment fo 'More time for sunshine.' ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Police officers will often tell you theres no such thing as a routine call when youre patrolling the streets. Master Police Officer 1C at City of Albuquerque. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.(KRQE) The attorney general and the Albuquerque Police Department are cracking down on serial shoplifters and organized retail crime. Prosecutors argued over the word unfounded, noting that authorities had scheduled a grand jury to hear evidence in the alleged insurance fraud case, but Farrellys boss pulled the plug on that presentation at the last minute in 2010. She lives with her family in Phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading people search directory for contact information and public records. Read More. Reportedly, he is married to APD Detective Heather, who was also present throughout the trial. "There never was a case against Levi Chavez," Serna said. 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. Weve made it clear to them: Teras your mother, and she loves you,' she said of Tera and Levis children. 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. function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} Other stores are installing LOT-COP Security Camera Towers to aid in this deterrence effort. Prosecutor Bryan McKay, who told jurors during closing arguments that Chavez used his department-issued gun to commit "cold-blooded, calculated, planned-out murder," declined to comment after the verdict. ", Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Her husband Levi Chavez, a police officer with the Albuquerque Police Department, was the. Prosecutors Bryan McKay and Anne Keener declined to comment, as did the Tera Chavezs family, except for one comment from Jopseph Cordova, Tera father. Levi Chavez's current wife takes the stand - KOAT 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. Repeatedly throughout the trial and again on Thursday Serna has said Levi Chavez had last been in Los Lunas on Oct. 19. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis /Journal), Former APD officer Levi Chavez reacts to being found not guilty of murder on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. 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. Last Update. Another, Athena Padilla was arrested on March 9, was charged with 10 shoplifting incidents with a value close to $19,000. Dozens of Albuquerque Academy students volunteered New Mexico Supreme Court: Juveniles who plead can appeal Ruling stems from the case of Christopher Rodriguez, who was sentenced as an adult to 14 years in prison for his role in the Changes to city of Albuquerque's Sun Van service raise New process allows anybody to self-certify New process allows anybody to self-certify they are disabled. Serna has sought to poke holes in those assessments. The DNA belonged to both Tera and Levi Chavez, according to Williams. endstream This included partnerships with the schools, teachers and laws enforcement with a focused presentation of alcohol awareness to students. 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. 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. Those separations, according to earlier testimony, were due in large part to Levi Chavezs longstanding habit of cheating on Tera. 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. 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. The contents of any site or link not maintained by the City does not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of the City of Albuquerque, its officials, agents or employees. 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. 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. These initiatives led to the continued success in the reduction of property crimes in the Southwest Area Command. It was the third time since the trial began on June 10 that Serna had asked for a ruling from Eichwald to throw the case out. The juror said the decision was difficult but unanimous. Albuquerque. She testified that she is currently assigned to the APD Crimes Against Children Unit. He is the city's top ticket-writer and one of the most complained-about cops in town. PDF V i C A P A L E R T UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS - Federal Bureau of All rights reserved. THEY KNEVER KNEW WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE. Levi Chavez maintained his innocence throughout the trial, and he maintains his innocence even today. Levi Chavez, in a surprise move, testified in his own defense. It is a case that has haunted a Northern New Mexico community for nearly three decades. 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. The whole situation is just sick, she said through tears. In 2014, Medina retired from the Albuquerque Police Department and shortly thereafter became the Chief of Police for the Pueblo of Laguna. What should I do if I am stopped by a police officer? In December of 2017, Medina was appointed to Deputy Chief for the Albuquerque Police Department and currently oversees the Field Services Bureau. (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 || []; Others, including Radosevich, have testified that, based on less-than-ideal crime scene photographs, the magazine appeared to have possibly been unseated.. That was the whole thing that made me upset. Levi Chavez Was Found Not Guilty of His Wifes Death in 2013 & Later Filed a Levi Chavez, an Albuquerque police officer, called 911 on the morning of October 22, 2007, to report that hed come home to find his wife dead of a gunshot wound from his service weapon. gtag('config', 'UA-177193517-1'); Levi was initially charged Jason Chavez in Albuquerque, New Mexico. News . Dozens of Albuquerque Academy students volunteered New Mexico Supreme Court: Juveniles who plead can appeal Ruling stems from the case of Christopher Rodriguez, who was sentenced as an adult to 14 years in prison for his role in the Changes to city of Albuquerque's Sun Van service raise New process allows anybody to self-certify New process allows anybody to self-certify they are disabled. Self Service Car Washes Near Me, 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. GallupARTS receives $400,000 grant for virtual project. Synopsis: In 2005 an unknown person killed 26 year old Victoria Chavez and buried her in a mesa located adjacent to 118th Street SW in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Heather Chavez also testified that she never met or spoke to Tera Chavez. FOR MORE INFORMATION YOU CAN GO TO M. It is a case that has haunted a Northern New Mexico community for nearly three decades.On Oct. 28, 1992, a Farmington woman was brutally murdered.Carla Helmer hadn't shown up for work at a Farmington convenience store for three days. Heather Hindi in Albuquerque, NM - Address & Phone Number - Whitepages The number of how many incidents across Albuquerque is hard to track says Chief Medina. Romero said she was under the impression they were separated and going through a divorce. Man from Albuquerque faces federal firearm and ammunition possession They werent told that tens of instances in which Levi Chavezs attorneys asserted his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination had been excised from the deposition. Tera Chavez Biography: Levi Chavez Wiki, Bio, Age, Wife - Wali Kali FARMINGTON POLICE ARE STILL FOLLOWING LEADS AND ARE ASKING PEOPLE WITH LEGITIMATE TIPS TO CONTACT THE FARMINGTON POLICE HOTLINE OR CRIME STOPPERS. He believes in principles that are focused on community and law enforcement partnerships, problem solving, and transforming the department to help create a strong bond of trust with the community. Published: Saturday, June 29th, 2013 at 12:05AMUpdated: Saturday, June 29th, 2013 at 12:41AM. Tell me if she feels cold?" Jones was the lead investigator handling the death of Tera Chavez for the Valencia County Sheriffs Office. He has pled not guilty. Email. https://www.cabq.gov/police/our-department, https://www.cabq.gov/police/images/chief-harold-medina_6798-8x10.jpg, Documents Related to APD Settlement Agreement, Documents Related to APD's Settlement Agreement, McClendon v. City of Albuquerque Settlement, Legal Notice: Destruction of Unclaimed Property, Sexual Assault Evidence Kit Backlog Reduction Project. 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. This proactive approach brought compliance rates in the Albuquerque area up to 95%. New Mexico and ABQ News, Sports, Business and more, By Jeff Proctor / Journal Staff Writer Heather Chavez - Master Police.. - City of Albuquerque | ZoomInfo Wheeler added that Chavez never spoke of hurting herself during their time together. At one point on Monday, Serna took the gun, which was not loaded, turned it upside down and pointed it toward himself. Mark A. Radosevich, a well-known figure in New Mexico law enforcement since the early 1970s, testified as a firearms expert for prosecutors. Tera's family said he did it to. On July 5, 2008, half of the desire she expressed in the text came true. Levi M. Chavez, II, Esq. 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. No matter what you choose, not everyone is going to be happy.. Before reading the verdict Judge George P. Eichwald admonished the gallery, saying he had observed a lot of animosity. Levi Chavez called 911 around 9 p.m. that day, Oct. 21, 2007, to say his wife had shot herself in the head. Extramarital Affairs Take Center Stage in Ex-Cop Murder Trial Heather Christine Chavez, 46 - Albuquerque, NM - MyLife 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.. During the next 19 months through the use of community poling principles he created partnerships with community stakeholders, and increased internal communication and cooperation. But, the disgraced former officer insisted that he did not kill his wife. Heather is related to Philip P Pratt and Judith A Pratt as well as 3 additional people. Email addresses are used solely for verification and to speed the verification process for repeat questioners. The city of Albuquerque already has paid Tera's family $230,000 to settle claims against it and its police department in the civil case. endobj Legal Statement. NOBODY THUS FAR HAS HAD TO PAY FOR THIS CRIME. Shaver had led the department for the preceding 23 years, after starting his career as a patrol officer in 1933. I couldve been a better parent and recommended that it was in the best interest that they not be together, she said. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. HER BOSS WENT TO HER HOUSE. Decommissioned Nuclear Power Plant Scotland, They deliberated all day Monday and began again at about 1 p.m. today. << /Lang /MarkInfo << /Marked true >> /Outlines 6 0 R /PageLayout /OneColumn /Pages 5 0 R /StructTreeRoot 9 0 R /Type /Catalog >> 5.9K views, 149 likes, 112 loves, 95 comments, 29 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Farmington Police Department - New Mexico: Detective Heather Chavez's Retirement Cermony 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. Also, a new bullet was in the Glocks firing chamber when law enforcement arrived at the Chavezes home. 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. Their additional three locations remain open. On Oct. 21 of that year a Sunday Romero tried several times to call her son to set up a lunch date, according to her testimony. According to her testimony, Heather Chavez was in Chicago with her parents the weekend Tera died. Heather Chavez said she was helping move Tera Chavez's items out of the Los Lunas home in the weeks after the funeral. 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. endobj 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. New Mexico and ABQ News, Sports, Business and more, By Jeff Proctor / Journal Staff Writer There is no confirmation on whether she is still a part of the Albuquerque Police Department. stream stream Also in court on Friday, jurors heard a heavily redacted recording of the deposition Levi Chavez gave in the civil case. She left the courtroom in tears and came back in eight minutes later, still dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. 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. That would have been after she moved out of the home she shared with Steve Hindi, according to her testimony. (Greg Sorber/Journal), Former Valencia County Detective Aaron Jones talks to the media on Tuesday, July 16, 2013, after Levi Chavez was found not guilty of murdering his wife Tera Chavez. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. Pedro Taylor Football, Tera Chavez's Death: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com On Tuesday, the court heard from police officer Regina Sanchez, who admitted to having an affair with Chavez in 2006. Titleist Golf Bags 2021, The other half of Heather Chavezs wish a move to the APD homicide unit never came to pass. Portions of CA home hang over cliff after landslide, 1 killed amid turbulence event on business jet, UNM Hospital wants to know publics feedback.