Police seek link between man, slaying victim

Police are investigating whether a male suspect and homicide victim Anthony Manzanares were involved in an altercation two days before the Española man was shot to death on Oct. 20, according to a search warrant affidavit.

According to the search warrant, Manzanares’ girlfriend told police an unidentified male tried to pick a fight with Manzanares at a Giant gas station in Española on Oct. 18. As the couple tried to leave, the man brandished a gun and threatened to shoot them. The man then struck at Manzanares with a knife and tried to stab him through the passenger window as they drove away, the document states.

According to court documents, Gonzales was shot and killed on the morning of Oct. 20.

On footage provided to police, Manzanares appeared from a trailer on the 700 block of Calle De Amor in Española around 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 20 and quickly sought cover as a black, fourdoor sedan pulled up. Two men emerged from the vehicle and appeared to shoot toward him, then drove off, according to the search warrant.

Manzanares’ girlfriend told she heard gunshots and shortly afterward Manzanares returned to the residence and fell into the bedroom closet, where he died of a gunshot wound, according to the search warrant.

Española police filed for a search warrant to recover video surveillance footage from a camera belonging to a neighbor near the scene which may better identify the suspect and vehicle that may be connected to the crime, according to the search warrant affidavit.

As of Monday, no arrests had been made.