Authorities investigate double homicide, suspected child abduction in Clovis

Authorities on Saturday were searching for a 10-month-old girl believed to have been abducted from a city park north of Clovis, where two women were found killed and a 5-year-old girl critically injured late Friday afternoon.

Police said they believe the women’s killer abducted the infant but said they had no suspects on Saturday morning.

Clovis Police Department Lt. Steven Wright in a news release identified the dead women as Samantha Cisneros, 23, and Taryn Allen, 23, both of Texico. New Mexico State Police late Friday issued an Amber Alert for the infant, Eleia Maria Torres. Cisneros was the mother to both the infant and the 5-year-old.

The Amber Alert reported the suspect “was possibly in a maroon Honda car.”

Clovis Police Deputy Chief Trevor Thron said investigators found a car part belonging to a maroon Honda at the scene of the slayings at Ned Houk Park. But he characterized the find as “a stretch” as to whether it was related to the homicides.

Thron said police had no motive for the deaths. He said the women’s purses and belongings were found with them, along with a car belonging to one of the deceased.

Police said the 5-year-old found with the women was covered in blood and seriously injured. That child was taken to the Clovis hospital, then transferred to Lubbock, where she was listed in critical condition Friday night. No update on the child’s condition was available early Saturday.

Officials weren’t sure if the 5-year-old was shot, beaten or possibly hit with a car.

Thron said the missing infant is a half-sibling of the 5-year-old.

Thron said police interviewed the father of the missing infant and he is “not a suspect at this time.” “Dad came in and talked to us and he was just as shocked as everyone else,” Thron said.

Police had not been able to locate the father of the 5-year-old early Saturday. “No idea where he is and of course we would like to speak with him,” Clovis Police Chief Roy Rice said Saturday morning.

Thron said no arrest warrants had been issued in connection with the case. He said investigators had “no clue” what led to the deaths.

“We do know they were supposed to be at Walmart, from what family members knew, selling puppies,” Thron said.

“They had five puppies inside their vehicle at Ned Houk. Everybody thought they were at Walmart with the puppies. We’re not sure if they were at Walmart and then went to Ned Houk, we just don’t know.”

The victims had been to Twin Cronnies drive-in; their food was untouched in the car, Thron said.

While the news release sent out by Clovis Police late Friday night said the women had “apparent gunshot wounds,” it’s not clear how one woman died. One, Rice said, was shot. The second woman may have also been shot, but investigators with the Office of the Medical Investigator were trying to determine her cause of death.

Rice said an anonymous caller reported the crime scene around 4:30 p.m. Friday, but provided no additional information.

According to the Clovis Police news release, arriving officers found two women lying on the ground near a Dodge minivan.

“A young female child was also found on the ground suffering from an injury to her head,” police said, adding that an infant car seat, stroller and baby bottle were left at the scene, leading officers to begin immediately searching for an infant.

The Major Crimes Unit was immediately called in to investigate, Rice said. In addition, the FBI, State Police and other “specialists” rushed to assist in the investigation, officials said.

Ned Houk Park is about 5 miles north of Clovis on 3,200 acres, according to the city of Clovis website. About 370 acres are developed, including three lakes and several picnic areas. The park is popular with area residents who ride horses and all-terrain vehicles.

The women were killed about 100 yards north of the lake closest to the main entrance. Thron said authorities did not search the lake on Friday but were considering a search as they continued to look for evidence on Saturday.

Law enforcement blocked all entrances to the park after the bodies were discovered and the park remained closed on Saturday.