Due to recent changes in New Mexico law regarding the legalization of recreational marijuana, law enforcement departments around the state are having to retire some of their K9 canines. According to acting Police Chief David Miranda with the Lovington Police Department, LPD retired and unknowingly ended their K9 program temporarily on Oct. 20, with all three of their canines being …

Hobbs Police Department officers arrested a Hobbs man after he allegedly stole approximately $3,750 worth of microwave ovens from an apartment complex located at the 3500 block of North Fowler. Huriel Oceguera-Salcido, 33, was arrested on two warrants for burglary of a structure and receiving or transferring stolen vehicles, both fourth-degree felonies. On Monday, HPD officers responded to the 3500 …

A stabbing that happened on the 2600 block of North Dal Paso Street in Hobbs on Sept. 10 resulted in one person dying and two others being sent to the hospital. In a statement to the News-Sun, Lt. Mark Munroe with the Hobbs Police Department said on Wednesday due to the stabbing being an ongoing investigation, the department could provide …

In addition to forgery and fraud three additional charges have been filed against a local attorney. On July 28 local Hobbs defense attorney Ross Bettis was charged with forgery, a fourth-degree felony; and fraud, a misdemeanor after allegedly forging a probate document. On Monday three additional charges were filed alleging he made several ATM transfers to his own personal bank …

Hobbs Police Department officers have arrested a Hobbs man for murder after he allegedly shot his wife in the chest on Friday. Lonnie Byram, 48, of Hobbs was arrested on Sept. 10 and charged with murder, a first-degree felony. HPD officers responded to the 900 block West Iron for a call of a gunshot wound to the chest. When officers …

Witnesses say father urged 17-year-old son to shoot a neighbor A Hobbs man was arrested Tuesday, charged with multiple felony counts stemming from an incident in June. Kristopher Glasspoole, 44, of the 600-block of west Cope Place in Hobbs, was taken into custody on warrants stemming from a criminal complaint charging him with being an accessory to aggravated battery with …

At about 6:36 a.m., on Sept. 7, New Mexico State Police investigated a fatal crash involving multiple vehicles on NM Highway 128 near milepost 21, west of Jal. Jesse Godfrey, 39, of Odessa, Texas, and Aaron Moreno, 24, of Midland, Texas — a passenger in Godfrey’s pickup — both sustained fatal injuries in the crash. Godfrey and Moreno were pronounced …

A repeat Hobbs offender was sentenced to six years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being in possession of firearms and ammunition. Ruben Flores, 41, was arrested on July 5, 2019 for receipt, transportation, or possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon, a fourth-degree felony; and negligent use of a deadly weapon, a misdemeanor. He pleaded …

A citizen petition asking the District Court in Lovington to form a grand jury to investigate Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was filed Friday over the governor’s public health orders on COVID-19 restrictions since 2020. The sponsor, N.M. Sen. David Gallegos, R-Eunice, along with Larry Marker of Roswell, filed the petition in the Fifth Judicial Court with approximately 1,000 signatures from …

A jury of 12 Lea County residents returned a verdict of not guilty on Tuesday for a Hobbs man charged with robbery of an American flag. The jury found Casey Smith of Hobbs not guilty on Tuesday in the Fifth Judicial District Court in Lovington in a trial presided over by the Judge William Shoobridge. The alleged robbery case against …