In the quiet, early hours of March 14, 2021, in Carlsbad, New Mexico, the life of 48-year-old Pete Sarabia Jr. was tragically cut short. Police responded to a call of a gunshot victim in the 500 block of S. Mesa Street. Upon arrival, they discovered Sarabia with a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was rushed to the Carlsbad Medical Center, but succumbed to his injuries shortly after his arrival.
The Carlsbad Police Department, in conjunction with the Eddy County Sheriff's Office,
quickly launched an investigation into the homicide. Their collaborative efforts led them to identify a suspect in the fatal shooting. The investigation pointed to Anthony Olivas as the individual responsible for Sarabia's death. This was not a random act of violence, but one that seemingly escalated from a prior confrontation.
Later that same day, authorities located and arrested Anthony Olivas in the nearby town of Loving, New Mexico. Olivas was taken into custody and subsequently faced serious charges for his alleged involvement in the incident. He was charged with an open count of murder and kidnapping, bringing a swift, though somber, development to a case that had suddenly shattered the peace of the Carlsbad community. The investigation continued to unfold as authorities sought to piece together the events that led to the untimely death of Pete Sarabia.
