EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A 61-year-old man has been arrested and is being charged with murder, attempted murder and shooting at a motor vehicle in an incident earlier this month in Grant County, New Mexico State Police said.
Anthony Aveles, 61, was arrested on Nov. 1 after he allegedly killed a man and shot his own girlfriend in what the suspect described to police as a love triangle.
On Friday, Nov. 1, the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau was asked by the Bayard Police Department to investigate a homicide in Bayard. Bayard is about 10 miles west of Silver City.
State Police say its agents learned that at about 2 p.m. on Nov. 1, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office received reports of shots fired on U.S. 180 near milepost 119.
Deputies spoke to the victim in that shooting — a 54-year-old woman — who told them that she was driving her vehicle when her boyfriend, identified as Aveles, shot her.
The woman victim was transported to an area hospital with what were called non-life-threatening injuries.
After the shooting, Aveles, who was driving in a separate vehicle, fled the scene, State Police said.
Grant County Sheriff’s Deputies notified surrounding agencies and began a search for Aveles.
While the Bayard Police Department searched for Aveles, officers received a second report of shots fired at 500 N. East St. in Bayard. When officers arrived at the home, they found 46-year-old David Ruiz dead inside.
After the second shooting, law enforcment received a phone call from a woman who said her estranged husband, Aveles, had killed her son-in-law, David Ruiz, State Police said.
Bayard Police found Aveles, armed with a handgun, at another home in that town. He surrendered to law enforcement and was taken into custody without incident, State Police said.
The handgun in Aveles’ possession was recovered by officers, State Police said.
When Aveles was interviewed by State Police investigators, he told them that Ruiz had been in a romantic relationship with his girlfriend, who was the victim in the first shooting, State Police said.
Aveles was booked into the Grant County Detention Center and charged with first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder and shooting at a motor vehicle.
This incident remains under active investigation by the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau. Once complete, the investigation will be turned over to the District Attorney’s Office.
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