Las Cruces teen held without bond in murder case

LAS CRUCES — A Las Cruces teen will spend New Year’s Eve in prison as he contemplates a first-degree murder charge as well as three felony counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Kenneth Perez, 17, was ordered held without bond earlier this month by state District Judge Thomas Stewart. Although a minor, Perez was identified in light of the capital felony charge. A grand jury indicted him in a shooting that left 21-year-old Lance Chavez dead and three bystanders injured in the gunfire at a Nov. 15 house party on Bugatti Drive.

The grand jury indicted him for willful and deliberate murder and an alternative count of “depraved mind” murder, indicating a reckless disregard for human life under New Mexico law. Prosecutors presented that the crime was “conducted in a manner that endangered the lives (of) multiple bystanders” in a court petition. Either charge is a capital felony. 

Few details of what led up to the shooting have been released publicly, although Las Cruces police obtained footage of the shooting from mobile phones captured by witnesses. Prosecutors said a fight broke out at the party before Perez allegedly fired several rounds from a 9mm handgun into Chavez’s body, with bullets also striking three other people, all of whom survived: a 19-year-old man, an 18-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl. Perez, who was 16 years old at the time, then allegedly left the scene.

District Attorney Fernando Macias’ office argued that Perez was dangerous and that no conditions of release would protect the community, based on the charges and weight of evidence as well as previous matters handled informally through the juvenile probation office. 

Stewart, a 6th Judicial District judge appointed to preside over the case by the state Supreme Court after the entire 3rd District bench recused themselves, ordered Perez to be held ahead of his trial.

Tyler McCormick, the public defender appointed to represent Perez, said, “We are actively investigating the allegations made here and will be working to make sure Mr. Perez’s constitutional rights are respected.” Perez has not yet entered a plea to the charges.

“The court’s ruling shows that acts of violence will be met with firm accountability,” Macias said in a written statement. “We remain dedicated to protecting the citizens of Las Cruces.”

An initial hearing is set to take place next week.

Algernon D'Ammassa is the Journal's southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.