A Hobbs man and woman believed to have been murdered were found dead in their home Monday night.
Police said they are investigating the double homicide and have persons of interest in mind, although no arrests had been made as of presstime Tuesday.
“We have some persons of interest that we are looking into,” said Brian Dunlap, acting Hobbs chief of police. “Both deaths were homicides.”
The Hobbs Police Department said in a news release Tuesday that officers found 37-year-old Rojelio Velasquez and 40-year-old Chrystal Moore dead at the home in the 1600 block of North Coleman Street after police conducted a check of well-being at the home at about 7:20 p.m.
Dunlap said police performed the welfare check after receiving a phone tip.
“There was someone who called in, but I’m not going to divulge who it is,” Dunlap said. “They gave us some information that we thought we needed to go check on. We’re definitely looking into that.”
Dunlap declined on Tuesday to disclose how Velasquez and Moore were killed, pending further investigation. He said their bodies were taken to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Albuquerque for autopsies that will be performed today.
Both Velasquez and Moore lived at the Coleman Street home, although police did not say if they were a couple.
Dunlap said a motive for the double homicide was not yet known.
“The Hobbs Police Department is currently investigating the deaths as homicides,” the HPD stated in the news release. “If you have any information please call the Hobbs Police Department at 575-397-9265 or Lea County Crime Stoppers at 575-393-8005. You can also private message our Facebook page and remain anonymous.”
A neighbor told the News-Sun numerous police were at the Coleman Street home until early Tuesday morning processing the crime scene. Dunlap said HPD cleared the area around 6 a.m. Tuesday morning.
