Officers and staff at the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office are facing the grim fact today that two of their colleagues are suddenly and tragically gone. This in the aftermath of the events that unfolded early Tuesday morning—the shooting death at a Las Cruces hotel of Santa Fe Deputy Jeremy Martin allegedly at the hands of Martin’s Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office colleague, Tai Chan. An emotional Santa Fe County Sheriff Robert Garcia telling reporters Tuesday the news and alleged facts surrounding Martin’s death came as a shock
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Sheriff Garcia on the heavy task of breaking the news to his officers and staff.
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The death of Deputy Jeremy Martin, who was 29, occurred inside the Las Cruces Hotel Encanto. Martin’s shooting death is being investigated by the Las Cruces Police Department. Department spokesman Danny Trujillo described what officers discovered when they arrived around 12:30am Tuesday.
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I asked Trujillo if police knew anything about what transpired between the two Santa Fe Deputies and colleagues leading up to the fatal shots being fired. He said that was under investigation, but:
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Las Cruces police later added that Chan fired several rounds from his duty-issued Glock semi-automatic handgun as his colleague tried to flee the argument that continued at the hotel. They say Deputy Chan late Tuesday afternoon was officially with an open count of murder. Chan is being held without bond at the Dona Ana County Detention Center.
The U.S. Attorney's Office has named a federal prosecutor to lead a Justice Department team responsible for handling complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in New Mexico during the general election. U.S. Attorney Damon Martinez says Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Gerson will head the office's efforts in connection with the Justice Department's Election Day Program. Martinez says the Justice Department will act promptly and aggressively to protect the integrity of the election process. Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies and stuffing ballot boxes.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed standards for four power plants on American Indian reservations as part of the Obama administration's plans to curb emissions. The agency unveiled its plan for states last summer, saying it wants to see fossil-fuel-fired power plants reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. The EPA waited until Tuesday to include Indian Country because it wanted more time to consult with tribes, including three in New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. Under the proposal, the Navajo Nation would have to reduce its emissions rate by at least six percent at two coal-fired plants. The Bonanza plant on Ute lands in Utah would have to reduce its emissions rate by about seven-percent, and a slight reduction is called for at a gas-fired plant on Fort Mojave land in Arizona.
A detective agency has been hired to make recommendations for improving security at the Albuquerque zoo following the killing of a rare Tasmanian devil on loan from Australia. The Albuquerque Journal reports that private agency will make recommendations about internal policies and procedures of the Albuquerque BioPark Zoo, while city police continue their criminal investigation of the killing. The animal named Jasper was found dead in his enclosure two weeks ago, and zoo officials have since said they were adding more guards and surveillance cameras.
Santa Fe Weather: Sunny today and tomorrow with highs in the mid-60s. Tonight: Clear skies with the overnight low, 36.