Hector Madrid took a plea for a Hobbs double homicide and will serve seven years in a Department of Corrections facility.
Madrid, 41, of Hobbs, was charged in the murders of Rojelio Velasquez, 37, and Chrystal Moore, 40, both of Hobbs. Velasquez and Moore were found in their home shot to death in July 2019.
Fifth Judicial District Attorney Dianna Luce told the News-Sun in addition to the the seven-year sentence, Madrid was sentenced to three years of jail time suspended and he will be on supervised probation. He has 544 days credited for jail time completed.
Court records show Madrid was originally charged with two counts of first-degree murder. However, the charges were changed to two counts of voluntary manslaughter, both third-degree felonies, when the case was bound over to district court.
When asked why Madrid was offered a plea and why the charges changed, Luce responded, “Cases are difficult to get to trial under COVID-19 restrictions. We assessed the strength of the case and made an offer. It relied heavily on an eye witness.”
The criminal complaint filed in the case states Hobbs Police Department officers were notified by an unknown person telling them Velasquez was possibly dead and where to find him.
The report states officers found Velasquez sitting on a couch in the center of the room with a blanket covering his face and chest, making it where his face couldn’t be seen. A bullet wound was found above his left ear. Moore was found laying on the bed near Velasquez, with a gunshot wound near her left ear.
Detectives investigated the house and found spent .40 caliber bullet casings and bullet holes in the walls. The police report stated the home appeared to be rummaged through, with several live rounds throughout the hallway.
During the investigation, detectives obtained a surveillance video. In the Sunday, July 7, 2019 video, a variety of people can be seen entering and exiting the residence — including Velasquez.
Around 11:38 p.m., a pickup truck arrives, Velasquez answers the front door and an unknown male subject is seen entering the house.
“At 11:43 p.m. the same unknown male subject that exited the vehicle is seen opening the front door to the residence and running to the black older model pickup, and entering into the passenger side,” the arrest report states. “The pickup then drives southbound on Coleman and out of camera view.”
According to a HPD report, Madrid and an associate, Alfonso Aldaco, went to the residence to purchase heroin.
A family member of Aldaco was interviewed during the investigation and told police Aldaco was present during the murder.
“(The family member) told me Alfonso contacted him on Monday, July 8th, 2019, by Facebook Messenger and begged that he stay away from Madrid, because he was ‘acting crazy,’” the arrest report states. “(Aldaco) told (the family member) that (Madrid) ‘snaps in and out of it’ and that (Madrid) ‘tried to smoke (Aldaco) earlier, so he jumped out of the vehicle’ and that Madrid was going to shoot (Aldaco) in the head.”
The family member told police Madrid and Aldaco fled to Lubbock, and Madrid was still in possession of a .40 caliber gun. Aldaco turned himself into HPD while Lubbock law enforcement arrested Madrid.
According to court records, Aldaco was arrested for the crime but charges were dismissed without prejudice from the case on Aug 8, 2019.
Christina Rankin may be reached at courts@hobbsnews.com.
