Anibal Salguero, a 31-year-old Hispanic/Latino male, had just finished a roofing job in Clovis, New Mexico, on July 9, 2023. As the day concluded, he was sitting in a vehicle with a coworker in the 900 block of West Ninth Street, listening to music. This moment of relaxation was shattered when an armed robbery went horribly wrong, and Salguero was fatally shot.
The Clovis Police Department quickly launched a homicide investigation into the violent encounter that cut his life short.
Within days, the investigation led to significant breakthroughs. On July 12, 2023, authorities announced the arrest of three individuals in connection with the murder. Among them, 25-year-old Alex Zapata was charged with murder, while Jainene Velasquez and Destry Gonzales were also taken into custody for their alleged roles in the crime that led to Salguero's death. The investigation, however, did not stop there as law enforcement continued to piece together the events of that fatal evening.
Further investigation identified a second primary suspect in the shooting and robbery. In January 2024, an arrest warrant was issued for 32-year-old Cordney Cooper, who was accused of first-degree murder. Cooper was not immediately captured but was later apprehended by officials in Portales. The case took a surprising and concerning turn on December 11, 2024, when it was reported that Alex Zapata, one of the main suspects, had been mistakenly released from jail, adding a new layer of complexity to the ongoing efforts to secure justice for Anibal Salguero.
