Other names that Heather uses includes Heather Ripley, Heather C Chavez, Heather C Hindi, Heather C Ripley and Heather Hindi. Harold Medina received a Bachelors degree with a double major in Biology and Criminology through the college of Arts and Science from the University of New Mexico in 1994. The defense claims Tera Chavez killed herself because she was depressed about her marriage. Instead, only the audio position of the recording was played in court. View the sitemap for the City of Albuquerque website. << /Type /XRef /Length 87 /Filter /FlateDecode /DecodeParms << /Columns 4 /Predictor 12 >> /W [ 1 2 1 ] /Index [ 72 37 ] /Root 74 0 R /Size 109 /Prev 38218 /ID [] >> Levi M. Chavez, II, Esq. PDF V i C A P A L E R T UNIDENTIFIED HUMAN REMAINS - Federal Bureau of HUM0W%FWD ,X{8n`j.{_il;xQne9oK^T(gB5eVhmmvPZu]u^Z@V.>2XYi-&+n q m4mNpI P]-)8m !5;RTTAdfI;H.KDYBd"kgBYJi !GG@5*GG0Zaowi&.0D6L%pI the Albuquerque Police Department. Heinrich makes push on daylight Democratic senator from New Mexico partners Democratic senator from New Mexico partners with Republicans to reintroduce legislation in D.C. to make daylight saving time permanent. What should I do if I am stopped by a police officer? As McKay began to ask Radosevich whether Jones had passed along the information about the magazine not being secured into the butt of the pistol, Serna twice lodged objections, claiming such testimony from Radosevich would be hearsay. Heather Chavez - Master Police.. - City of Albuquerque | ZoomInfo However, he conceded that it was plausible.. Former cop Levi Chavez is charged with first-degree murder. And six days before Chavez called 911 in October 2007 to say his wife Tera Chavez had shot herself in the head, all of a sudden, there was a deletion of files, said officer Michael Brookreson, a digital forensic investigator for the Las Cruces Police Department. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The city of Albuquerque already has paid Teras family $230,000 to settle claims against itself and APD in the civil case. According to her testimony, Heather Chavez was in Chicago with her parents the weekend Tera died. Bernalillo County deputy involved in rollover crash in Northeast Albuquerque, Where does medical cannabis go from here? GallupARTS receives $400,000 grant for virtual project. Levi Chavez did, indeed, marry Heather Chavez (ne Hindi) in the summer of 2008. I couldve been a better parent and recommended that it was in the best interest that they not be together, she said. Pedro Taylor Football, abq.policecomplaints.info. She had multiple defense wounds, and had put up a fight. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Upon returning to Albuquerque, she attended Teras funeral, she testified, as did many other APD officers. One revelation did, however, come from the deposition: Levi Chavezs story has changed about the last time he was in Los Lunas before he called 911 to report his wifes death. One of Levi Chavezs lovers who was also a client of Teras at the Los Lunas Style America salon testified that Tera told her the truck hadnt really been stolen. << /Lang /MarkInfo << /Marked true >> /Outlines 6 0 R /PageLayout /OneColumn /Pages 5 0 R /StructTreeRoot 9 0 R /Type /Catalog >> The exchange led to several objections from Serna, and eventually a full-blown shouting match between Serna and Keener. Published: Saturday, June 29th, 2013 at 12:05AMUpdated: Saturday, June 29th, 2013 at 12:41AM. He had to watch his parents pass away and they never had closure so they never knew what happened to Carla. Albuquerque. Prosecutors say Chavez used his police training to cover up the crime, refusing to touch his wife's body so his fingerprints wouldn't be found. Levi Chavez is a former police officer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who was charged with the 2007 death of his 26-year-old wife, Tera Chavez. Levi Chavez Now: Where Is Tera Chavez's Husband Today? OFFICERS FOUND HER BODY INSIDE. Prosecutors, he said, had not presented enough evidence for any reasonable finder of fact to convict his client. Also on Tuesday the state called DNA expert Alanna Williams, who testified that she couldn't tell who fired the gun that killed Tera Chavez because there were two sets of DNA on the gun's handle. Steve Hindi : Public records about cops. Over the years, detectives. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. She would not have been able to release the magazine herself. New Mexico weavers keeping tradition alive, 1 injured in Bernalillo County deputy-involved crash, Mortgage rates have little reason to fall in March. Levi Chavez was working as a police officer in October 2007 when he allegedly shot and killed Tera Chavez in the bed of their Los Lunas home with his police revolver. The 311 service is a single telephone number for all non-emergency City of Albuquerque inquiries and services. He is the city's top ticket-writer and one of the most complained-about cops in town. Now they are calling on Albuquerque P Chavez has never been charged with any wrongdoing. function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} Garcia said she couldnt find any identifiable prints on either the Glock, the magazine or any of the bullets she examined. . HE HAD TO WATCH HIS PARENTS PASSED AWAY. APDs mission is to build relationships through community policing that will lead to reduced crime and increased safety. APDs vision is an Albuquerque where citizens and the police department work together through mutual trust to build a thriving community. That case is scheduled to be heard in state District Court in Bernalillo County and has been on hold while the criminal trial was held. They are very private, and we just didnt pal around together.. They have also lived in Taos, NM and New York, NY. Farmington police still searching for answers in murder case 27 years later, CAN SOLVE THIS CASE. All rights reserved. Levi Chavez's mother testifies - Albuquerque Journal Reportedly, he is married to APD Detective Heather, who was also present throughout the trial. He said in 2009 at the deposition that Thursday Oct. 18, 2007 was the last time he was there until Sunday night Oct. 21, when he says he discovered Teras body. On Tuesday, the court heard from police officer Regina Sanchez, who admitted to having an affair with Chavez in 2006. BERNALILLO A deep dive into Levi Chavezs personal laptop computer turned up an Internet search from November 2006 for how to kill someone, social media profiles of various women with whom he was having affairs and visits to pornography websites, according to testimony in the former APD officers murder trial on Friday. NANCY: HER BOSS KNOCKED ON THE DOOR AND CALLED POLICE. For example: the prosecution was barred from calling to the stand Richard Farrelly, a state Insurance Fraud Bureau agent who investigated allegations that Levi Chavez and his cop buddies had staged the theft of Chavezs pickup truck as part of an insurance scam. Serna called seven other witnesses to testify. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) Three years after being acquitted in a high profile murder trial, former Albuquerque Police Department officer Levi Chavez After skipping out on his financial obligations to the Rio Rancho police department, Albuquerque Aviation police hired Chavez. They included: members of Teras family, her friends, a longtime New Mexico medical examiner, two veteran lawmen who testified as expert witnesses, APD officers who went to the Chavezes home after the 911 call, several of Levi Chavezs paramours including two who were fellow APD officers and his current wife, whom he began seeing almost immediately after Teras death. All the children are aware of who Tera was, Heather Chavez said, and they even celebrate her birthday. The gun was the biggest hang up, but there was no proof, she said. Manage the news you want to see, read exclusive content and explore other subscriber benefits. "He's got several plans in the works," Serna said. >> SHE RECEIVED MULTIPLE STAB WOUNDS. Levi Chavez maintained his innocence throughout the trial, and he maintains his innocence even today. Instead, the jury was instructed that Farrelly had received an anonymous call from the Style America where Tera worked alleging insurance fraud by Levi Chavez, and that he conducted an investigation which concluded that the allegations were unfounded.. Subscribe now to access decluttered news, chosen by you. Ex-New Mexico police officer acquitted of wife's murder Brookreson testified there also were several Web searches for Jones. Anyone with information on Beccas identity is encouraged to contact Detective Heather Chavez of the Albuquerque Police Department at 505-768-2404 or hcchavez@cabq.gov, or the FBI Violent Criminal Apprehension Program He was born in Albuquerque, and lived in Los Lunas. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis /Journal), Former APD officer Levi Chavez clutches a rosary before being found not guilty of murder on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. endobj Dr. Chavez works in Albuquerque, NM and 1 other location and specializes in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Law Offices of Levi M. Chavez, II, LLC Chavez enrolled as a student at the University of California at Berkeley, studying writing and literature as part of the program in English literature offered there. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. This link will take you to a site over which the City of Albuquerque has no control. Police believe Carla likely knew her attacker. In considering everything, I do not believe that the magazine was seated at the time this weapon was recovered, he said. In total, police have valued the amount of recovered merchandise from all their arrests close to $100,000 from their latest sting this past month. stream I wasnt worried.. BERNALILLO The magazine that held the bullets for Levi Chavezs APD-issued Glock 9 mm pistol took center stage in a Sandoval County courtroom Monday morning as the former officers murder trial rolled into its fourth week of testimony. King had been an academy classmate of Police Chief Ray Schultz, who, in a tearful press conference after the killings, called it one of the saddest days in the history of the Albuquerque Police Department. Inside the department, former officers say, the deaths were a turning point: Officer safety became the order of the day. The Albuquerque City Council voted 8-0 on March 15, 2021 to confirm Medina's appointment as Chief of the Albuquerque Police Department. Heather Chavez also testified that she never met or spoke to Tera Chavez. Based on my experience the magazine release had to be depressed after that firing sequence was completed, he said. NANCY: CARLA HAD PUT UP A FIGHT. Download the Albuquerque Police Department's Organizational Chart. No matter what you choose, not everyone is going to be happy.. Many of the other defense exhibits were photographs, as well. I've been in contact with him. The jury learned Friday that underneath the mattress on which Tera. [1] [2] Levi was initially charged with murdering his wife with his police issued Glock and making it appear as a suicide. ITS A HEAVY WEIGHT TO CARRY. Levi was staying with his mother in October 2007, she testified today, during one of the couples estrangements. On Oct. 21 of that year a Sunday Romero tried several times to call her son to set up a lunch date, according to her testimony. Your email is safe with us, we dont spam. KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. It makes me upset right now," Romero testified last week. His much-anticipated testimony did not appear to help either side, as Perea said that he couldnt be sure where Levi Chavez was for the entirety of the two swing shifts. Justice was not served today, Cordova said. That leaves Levi Chavez as the sole defendant in the civil matter, which had been on hold since his indictment to allow the criminal case to reach a conclusion. Prosecutors alleged that he killed Tera around 1 a.m. on Oct. 21, 2007 a Sunday by creeping up on her while she was likely asleep in bed inside the couples home near Los Lunas, shoving his APD-issued Glock 9 mm pistol into the back of her mouth and pulling the trigger once. 77 0 obj Boycott Black Lives Matter, the 911 dispatcher asked. "You know the whole thing was so disgusting and such a disgrace. Jurors nine women and three men received the case shortly after 5 p.m. Friday following closing arguments by defense attorney David Serna and prosecutors Anne Keener and Bryan McKay. The unfaithfulness began early in the couples 10-year relationship, around the time Tera became pregnant with the couples first child shortly before her 16th birthday. Detective Heather Chavez's Retirement Cermony | By Farmington Police There is no confirmation on whether she is still a part of the Albuquerque Police Department. Detective Heather Chavez with the Farmington police said.Police believe Carla likely knew her attacker. Legal Statement. Those separations, according to earlier testimony, were due in large part to Levi Chavezs longstanding habit of cheating on Tera. The City assumes no responsibility for the content of the material contained at that site or for the accuracy of any information that is found there. A forensic pathologist testified earlier in the trial that Tera died almost immediately after one shot was fired into her mouth. Last Update. Medina was named interim Chief of Police in September 2020, and appointed by Mayor Keller to serve as permanent Chief of Police in March 2021. Who Wrote She's Like The Swallow, Extramarital Affairs Take Center Stage in Ex-Cop Murder Trial Chavez has been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. He believes in principles that are focused on community and law enforcement partnerships, problem solving, and transforming the department to help create a strong bond of trust with the community. Upon returning to Albuquerque, she attended Tera's funeral, she testified, as did many other. A Bernalillo County deputy was reportedly not injured after their vehicle rolled in a two-vehicle, Hospital CEO Kate Becker says 'we really want to hear from our community about what, Dozens of Albuquerque Academy students volunteered to help unload and deliver the furnishings. Wheeler is the husband of Chavez's maid of honor, Samantha Wheeler. He received the Uniformed Officer of the Year for the Albuquerque Police Department in 2004. Debra Romero, also a police officer in the department, admitted to having an affair with Levi Chavez. 72 0 obj Thats when she married Levi Chavez and took his last name, according to testimony she gave Friday morning at the end of the third week in her husbands murder trial. Engage via Email. Detectives say Chavez wanted his wife dead because she threatened to reveal he staged the theft of a truck so he can collect insurance money. Heather's current home is located at Albuquerque, NM. McKay and Keener admitted more than 220 exhibits into evidence, including the Glock handgun and more than 100 crime scene photographs. Asked if he would try to get his old job back with the Albuquerque Police Department, Chavez blurted out a date but declined to say what that date meant. He was the 35th of 36 witnesses called by the state, which rested its case Monday afternoon. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of KOAT-TV. Chavez was accused of killing Tera in October 2007 and making it look like a suicide. gtag('config', 'UA-177193517-1'); Levi was initially charged Jason Chavez in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He worked closely with community partners such as Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, and was recognized by them in 2008 for the leadership of Party Patrol; his program won the Heros award for that year. Heather Chavez is a Master Police Officer 1C at City of Albuquerque based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After Romero testified, Russell Perea took the witness stand armed with a promise if immunity granted by Eichwald in exchange for his testimony. Theres still a civil wrongful death lawsuit, filed by Teras family, to be decided in state District Court in Bernalillo County. He. Nobody thus far has had to pay for this crime," Chavez said.Police believe someone does know who killed Carla Felmer and Farmington police are still following leads in this case. Dozens of Albuquerque Academy students volunteered New Mexico Supreme Court: Juveniles who plead can appeal Ruling stems from the case of Christopher Rodriguez, who was sentenced as an adult to 14 years in prison for his role in the Changes to city of Albuquerque's Sun Van service raise New process allows anybody to self-certify New process allows anybody to self-certify they are disabled. Someone had to press that magazine release after (the Glock) was fired, he said. Chavez was found not guilty of murdering his wife Tera. Upon announcing the verdict, the family of Levi Chavez, including his current wife Albuquerque detective Heather Chavez, let out gasps and wept. Dash Dash World Controls, Theres nothing I would like to have them work other types of overtime rather than standing at a retail store, said Chief Medina. After more than 10 hours of deliberations, a jury acquitted Levi Chavez, 32, of murdering of his wife, 26-year-old Tera Chavez, in 2007 and trying to make the hairdresser's death look like a suicide. Others, including Radosevich, have testified that, based on less-than-ideal crime scene photographs, the magazine appeared to have possibly been unseated..