SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO
Man gets life for Deming teen's murder
Ashton Remondini, 14, was killed in 2022
Published
The second man convicted in the killing of 14-year-old Ashton Remondini in Deming in 2022 was sentenced to life in prison following a court hearing in Luna County on Tuesday.
A jury found Rafael Camacho, 22, guilty of first-degree murder as well as felony tampering with evidence; contributing to the delinquency of a minor; larceny involving a firearm; and conspiracy charges last fall.
Michael Moody, 20, pleaded guilty in 2023 to first-degree murder, conspiracy and robbery, and received a 28-year prison sentence with a concurrent 12-year sentence on the other charges. At the time of Remondini’s killing, Moody was a 16-year-old runaway from Arizona and was tried as a serious youthful offender.
At trial, Camacho admitted to stabbing the teen as part of a plot to kill him and steal his firearm. Moody confessed to shooting Remondini with a 9mm handgun that police later found in Camacho’s home along with a bloodied shirt. Moody told police Camacho drove the three boys to a remote area north of town where both defendants stabbed Remondini with a hunting knife.
Camacho’s sentencing hearing took place before state District Judge Jarod Hofacket. District Attorney Norman Wheeler announced that the judge ordered Camacho to serve life in prison with a minimum of 30 years for murder, plus a consecutive sentence of 19½ years on his other convictions.
Remondini was reported missing by his family in April 2022 after he said he was going to shoot guns with friends. Friends of the teen reported that he had sent a Snapchat video of himself firing an AR-15 rifle in footage police used to identify his location near Keeler Road, ultimately finding him dead of stabbing and gunshot wounds. Investigators from the Luna County Sheriff’s Office and New Mexico State Police recovered shell casings from two firearms and other evidence.
Days later, Moody came forward, confessed to the killing and identified Camacho as his accomplice.
Algernon D’Ammassa is the Journal’s southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.
