Man convicted in 2024 asphyxiation death of Albuquerque research scientist

A jury on Tuesday convicted Daniel Lee Hadders in the 2024 killing of a man found bound and bloodied in his Northeast Albuquerque home.

Hadders, 38, was found guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping and other charges in the death of Christopher Fallen, 46, a research scientist who specialized in studying the Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Hadders’ co-defendant, Andres Chavez, fled to El Paso and was found dead of an overdose less than three months after Fallen’s killing.

“This verdict is about justice for Christopher Fallen and the family and friends who loved him,” 2nd Judicial District Attorney Sam Bregman said in a statement. “This was a calculated and horrific act of violence, and thanks to the tireless work of our prosecutors and investigators, the jury held the defendant accountable.”

Hadders’ attorney, Mark Ramsey, did not immediately return a phone call Tuesday seeking comment.

Police were told that Hadders and Chavez were friends who lived on the streets except when Fallen would let them stay at his home, according to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.

Prosecutors alleged that Chavez met Fallen on a dating website and was allowed to live at Fallen’s home after the two began a relationship.

Albuquerque police responded to Fallen’s home on Feb. 6, 2024, after his father and coworkers found him bound with tape and a plastic bag secured around his head with a belt, the complaint said.

The Office of the Medical Investigator found that Fallen died of asphyxiation, the District Attorney’s Office said.

Fallen’s father and friends broke into the residence in the 3500 block of Calle del Ranchero NE, near Carlisle and Constitution, after they failed to hear from him for about four days.

Police found court paperwork with Hadders’ name on it, the complaint said. The house appeared to have been looted and his car was missing, it said.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Emilie Edmonds and Deputy District Attorney Christine Jablonsky of the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office.