A 26-year-old Hispanic male named Johnny Pacheco Jr. had his life cut short on January 22, 2021, in Roswell, New Mexico. His body was discovered in an open field located southeast of the intersection of Y.O. and Lupton roads. An investigation by law enforcement determined that Pacheco had been the victim of a homicide, having been fatally shot in the head.
In the weeks that followed, the Roswell Police Department identified a suspect in the killing.
Jeffrey Contreras was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, robbery, tampering with evidence, and aggravated assault in connection with Pacheco's death. The grim discovery of Pacheco's body was just the beginning of a series of violent events that authorities would link to Contreras.
Contreras's alleged crime spree did not end with the death of Pacheco. In February 2021, he was implicated in the fatal shooting of another individual in Roswell, as well as a third homicide in Albuquerque. Following these incidents, Contreras and an associate fled from Roswell to Albuquerque. He was eventually arrested on February 16, 2021, outside a motel in Roswell. A judge later ordered him to be held in pretrial detention for the murder of Johnny Pacheco Jr.
