Jordan Nunez, 20, charged with child abuse resulting in death and tampering with evidence in the death of 13-year-old Jeremiah Valencia at a Nambé house last year, will stay in jail pending trial, a judge ruled today.
The ruling by state District Court Judge Matthew Wilson came after a morning of dramatic testimony by Jeremiah’s younger sister and from Nunez’s mother about life with Thomas Ferguson, Nunez’s father.
The girl said Ferguson, who committed suicide in the Santa Fe County jail in April, was the violent ruler of the Nambé household where Jeremiah died and made others assault the boy.
She said that on the day in late November when Jeremiah was killed, Nunez repeatedly flipped over the dog cage that Jeremiah was forced to stay in, apparently causing fatal injuries. Ferguson’s former wife said Ferguson beat her and caused miscarriages.
Ferguson, 42, Nunez and Tracy Ann Pena, 36 – Jeremiah’s mother and Ferguson’s girlfriend at the time of Jeremiah’s death – all were charged in the torture and death of Jeremiah, after his body was found buried in a rural area near Nambé in January.
Pena is apparently close to reaching a plea deal with prosecutors and was not part of today’s hearing.
This is developing story and will be updated.
