On July 15, 2023, at approximately 2:18 a.m., Alamogordo police officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop on Dominic De La O, who was driving without lights near Puerto Rico and 9th Street in Alamogordo, New Mexico. De La O, who was 26 years old at the time, fled from the authorities, leading to a chase that ended when he crashed into a light pole.
After the crash, De La O exited his vehicle armed with a sawed-off shotgun and attempted to escape on foot.
During the ensuing pursuit, he turned and shot Officer Anthony Ferguson in the face. Ferguson, a 41-year-old officer and 11-year veteran of the Alamogordo Police Department, was severely wounded in the attack.
Officer Ferguson was transported to the University Medical Center in El Paso, Texas, where he succumbed to his injuries on July 16, 2023. He is survived by his mother, father, four brothers, daughter, and son.
Following the shooting, De La O continued to flee but was shot in the leg by police. He was eventually arrested at a nearby home. On November 8, 2024, a jury found De La O guilty of first-degree murder, tampering with evidence, aggravated fleeing of a law enforcement officer, resisting/evading an officer, and criminal trespass.
On November 12, 2024, Dominic De La O, now 27 years old, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Officer Ferguson. The conviction and sentencing were announced by the New Mexico State Police on November 13, 2024.
In a related case, another individual, 31-year-old Jonah Apodaca, was sentenced to six years in prison for providing the modified shotgun used in the murder. Apodaca's DNA was found on the shell recovered from the chamber of the shotgun and ammunition from the magazine tube.
The tragic death of Officer Anthony Ferguson has deeply affected the law enforcement community in New Mexico. State Police Chief Troy Weisler emphasized that while the conviction brings some measure of justice, it can never replace the loss of Officer Ferguson, whose bravery and sacrifice will be remembered.
