On April 16, 2022, a tragic incident occurred at Cahoon Park in Roswell, New Mexico, resulting in the deaths of two local teenagers, Cameron Luna, 15, and Jorge Armendariz, 16. The victims had gone to the park to purchase a handgun from another individual, a transaction that was completed before the fatal encounter. According to investigators, the seller of the gun had left the scene prior to the arrival of the suspects.
The shooting took place around 5 p.m.
near the tennis courts on Riverside Drive in Cahoon Park. Jayvin Montoya, 15 at the time, and Carlos Gallegos, 14 at the time, were identified as the primary suspects in the double homicide. Montoya and Gallegos were accused of fatally shooting Luna and Armendariz while they were seated in a parked vehicle. The suspects had driven to and from the park in a 2011 Ford Fusion, which belonged to Jessica Lee Montoya, Jayvin Montoya's mother. A witness provided the license plate number of the vehicle, leading authorities to locate it during a traffic stop on April 17, 2022, in the area of South Washington Avenue and Lusk Drive.
Jayvin Montoya was arrested on April 25, 2022, in Ruidoso, New Mexico, and was charged with two counts of murder, one count each of armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and unlawful possession of a handgun. He has remained incarcerated on pre-trial detention since his arrest. Carlos Gallegos, who was also implicated in the shooting, was initially sought by authorities, but specific charges against him were pending at the time of the initial report.
In addition to Montoya and Gallegos, two more teenagers were later arrested in connection with the double homicide. On December 15, 2023, Damian Romero, 15 and David Salas-Silva, 18 were taken into custody. Romero and Gallegos were found in a house in the 600 block of Redwood Street, while Salas-Silva turned himself in at the police department later that afternoon. All three were charged with two open counts of murder, and one count each of armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, and unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon. The investigation revealed that Salas-Silva had orchestrated the robbery by contacting Montoya and telling him to rob Luna and Armendariz of a gun, promising to give him a gun in return. Although Salas-Silva did not participate in person at the scene, he is facing the same charges as the primary participants due to his role as a co-conspirator.
The investigation, conducted by the Roswell Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division, included ballistic and DNA testing performed by FBI and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives labs. It concluded that Montoya, Romero, and Gallegos were the shooters involved in the fatal incident. Jessica Lee Montoya, Jayvin's mother, also faced charges for tampering with evidence, conspiracy to tamper with evidence, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, as she allegedly moved the vehicle involved in the crime to different locations following the shooting.
In May 2024, Jayvin Montoya was convicted by a jury of two counts of first-degree murder and one count each of armed robbery, tampering with evidence, and unlawful carrying of a handgun by a minor. His sentencing is scheduled for June 7, 2024, and he could face up to 82 years in prison if the judge decides to run the sentences consecutively. The case highlights the rising concern of gun violence among teenagers and the severe consequences of such actions.
