Santa Clara man accused of murdering Hernandez man
New Mexico State Police are holding a Santa Clara Pueblo man accused of murdering 67-year-old William Jimerson of Hernandez, an unincorporated community north of Española on U.S. 84/285.
Officers booked Gabriel Sanchez, 25, into the Rio Arriba County jail late Monday on an open count of murder, a news release says.
After not hearing from Jimerson all day, his neighbors went to check on him Monday and found him dead inside his home, the release says. Police said Jimerson had two gunshot wounds to the head.
Witnesses told investigators that Jimerson had been receiving death threats from Sanchez, according to the release, which does not include details concerning the threats.
State police said investigators located Sanchez at his residence on Santa Clara Pueblo around 10 p.m. Monday after the tribal government allowed agents to search Sanchez’s residence and vehicle, as well as permission to remove Sanchez from the pueblo.
At Sanchez’s home, agents found boots “that matched shoe prints at the crime scene,” the release says. “One of the boots also had blood on it. In addition, agents located a flannel shirt that had a black ski mask in the pocket and an empty gun case for a revolver handgun.”
In addition to murder, police accused Sanchez of tampering with evidence. He was jailed on a nobond hold.