Police ID four homicide victims

The deaths have all occurred within the past two weeks

Albuquerque police have publicly identified four victims in recent homicides that occurred around the city over the past two weeks.

The Journal had been regularly requesting names and dates of birth for each victim but had not been provided that information until Monday.

Gilbert Gallegos, a spokesman for the Albuquerque Police Department, said there have now been 31 homicides, as well as three shootings that are considered justified, since the beginning of the year. Last year at this time a total of 23 had been reported.

The most recent spate of homicides started on April 30, when Gallegos said 45-yearold Jimmy Riddle was killed during a fight with another homeless man in Coronado Park. Detectives arrested Bernest Benjamin, 49, the same day after witnesses said they saw him strike Riddle with a stick during a fight.

A spokesman said detectives initially had not been able to notify Riddle’s next of kin, but no explanation has been given about why police had not publicly identified him earlier.

On May 7, Jonathan Saiz, 27, was found dead in a vehicle in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 300 block of Charleston SE, south of Zuni. Police have not said how he died and no one has been arrested in the case.

Three days later, on May 10, Hilarie Jordan Humbles, 27, was found dead in the side yard of an apartment complex in the 300 block of Western Skies SE. Officer Simon Drobik, another APD spokesman, said Humbles’ body had “signs of trauma” but he did not say how she died. Last week he said no suspects have been identified.

Several hours later, detectives were called to the second homicide of the day when Daniel Freddy Pacheco, 30, was fatally shot in a neighborhood off South Broadway. Pacheco was taken to the hospital, where he died. Detectives interviewed several witnesses but no arrests have been made, Drobik said.