On June 2, 2020, at approximately 4:10 a.m., deputies from the Eddy County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a male individual who had been shot. Upon arrival at Artesia General Hospital, they discovered that 28-year-old Alonso Luis Valdes of Artesia, New Mexico, had succumbed to his injuries.
Investigations revealed that the shooting occurred at 14 Crystal Drive in Artesia.
Through interviews and the execution of search warrants, authorities identified 18-year-old Dominic James Wade as a suspect. Wade was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence. He was held at the Eddy County Detention Center on a no-bond warrant.
In November 2021, Wade pleaded no contest to charges of voluntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence. He was subsequently sentenced to six years in the New Mexico Department of Corrections.
Alonso Valdes was born on November 7, 1991, in Hobbs, New Mexico, to Alfonso Valdez and Sylvia Acosta. He was raised in Tribune, Kansas, and later resided in Artesia, New Mexico. Valdes was a father to four children and was known for his generosity and love for his family.
