Las Cruces man fatally shot at traffic light, suspect behind bars

A local school bus driver and father of two children was killed after being shot multiple times on one of Las Cruces’ major crosstown streets Tuesday morning. A suspect was later arrested after a standoff outside a motel room and charged with first-degree murder.

Police responded just after 8:30 a.m. to reports of gunfire and a vehicle crash on West Picacho Avenue, which carries several lanes of traffic between downtown Las Cruces and the eastern city limits. The shooting unfolded in a busy commercial and residential area dominated by businesses and motels.

Juan Luján Garcés, 29, was found inside his car, which crashed into a boarded-up commercial building on the corner. Statements from police indicate he sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and succumbed to his injuries at the scene despite efforts to save his life.

The accused shooter, Pancho Garcia, 35, was residing at the neighboring Western Inn motel, according to charging documents. Witnesses said Garcia fired a handgun and then returned to his room. Police said surveillance camera footage showed Garcia exiting and returning to his room with a handgun during a four-minute window consistent with the time the shots were fired.

Police said footage from another camera shows a figure matching Garcia’s description, including a blue hat and black face covering he was seen wearing, approaching Luján Garcés’ car on the driver’s side while it was stopped at a traffic light. Shortly after that, the car is described as moving forward across the intersection before hitting the building, as the figure alleged to be Garcia runs back toward the motel.

In a news release, police said Garcia “barricaded himself” in his room as neighboring residents were evacuated and SWAT and hostage negotiation team attempted to make contact with him. Garcia reportedly surrendered at approximately 11:30 a.m., after SWAT officers breached a window into the room. The release stated, “No shots were fired by police and no other injuries were reported.”

Garcia was booked into the Doña Ana County Detention Center, where he is being held without bond, as prosecutors seek to keep him in custody through his trial. In a pretrial detention petition filed Wednesday in 3rd District Court, prosecutors argue that Garcia is a danger to the public and should be held because of the weight of evidence against him, the nature of the crime, prior criminal history and uncertain community ties.

As presented to the court, Garcia’s criminal record includes a 2021 misdemeanor conviction in Colorado for nonconsensual sexual contact, which prosecutors said involved a child. The petition states that he has previously been a fugitive from justice and failed to appear for court proceedings, adding to its case for detention.

Garcia appeared to be residing at the motel at the time of the shooting, and his most recent listed employment was as a restaurant cook.

As of Wednesday evening, Garcia did not appear to have legal counsel and a hearing in district court on the pretrial detention petition had not been scheduled.

In a GoFundMe campaign set up by the victim’s family seeking emergency assistance, Luján Garcés‘ wife described him as a hard-working man, head of their household and an outstanding husband and father.

Writing in Spanish, Crystal Luján alluded to other recent incidents of violence in Las Cruces, writing that “violence in Las Cruces, NM and the lack of security has stolen my love from me.”