EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A Deming, New Mexico man has been found guilty by a Luna County jury of murder and other charges related to the apparent revenge-driven death of a 14-year-old back in 2022, the Sixth Judicial District Attorney’s Office said.
Rafael A. Camacho, 22, was found guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 14-year-old Ashton Remondini, the DA’s Office said. Camacho was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, larceny of a firearm and conspiracy to commit larceny of a firearm.
Sentencing will be held at a later date.
On April 27, 2022, the Luna County Sheriff’s Office received a missing person’s report concerning Remondini, filed by his uncle. The uncle stated that he had contacted Remondini’s girlfriend, who reported last hearing from him around 2:30 a.m. on April 26.
The girlfriend told authorities Remondini had mentioned he was going shooting with friends and she later claimed he had been shot and killed, according to the DA’s Office.
Investigators obtained a Snapchat video timestamped at approximately 2:30 a.m. on April 26, showing Remondini firing an AR-15 rifle.
On April 28, officers following leads in the area near County Road A015 and County Road A008 discovered tire burnout marks and vehicle tracks leading down a dirt road. Approximately 400 yards down the road, officers located a prone body matching the clothing Remondini was seen wearing in the Snapchat video. The Office of the Medical Investigator later confirmed the body was Remondini.
Crime scene investigators from the Luna County Sheriff’s Office and the New Mexico State Police recovered multiple spent shell casings from AR-15 and 9mm firearms. Additional evidence, including shoe imprints and drag marks, was found approximately 200 feet across the road.
On April 29, 2022, Michael Moody came forward and provided a statement to detectives.
Moody stated that he and an accomplice, identified as Rafael Camacho, had planned to kill Remondini in retaliation for their friend’s overdose death, according to the DA’s Office.
According to Moody, Rafael Camacho picked up Remondini and drove the group to the remote location under the pretense doing target shooting. Moody admitted to shooting Remondini, after which both he and Camacho stabbed him, the DA’s Office said.
A search warrant executed at Camacho’s residence led to the discovery of Remondini’s purple 9mm handgun. Suspected blood evidence from Remondini was also found inside Camacho’s vehicle, the DA’s Office said.
On the stand, under cross examination, Camacho admitted he stabbed Remondini in the neck saying, “This is the fastest way.”
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